


A Promise in Red

by BittersweetAlias, KimpatsuNoHoseki



Series: Harem of a Necromancer [18]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Ardeur induced orgy, Darkish Harry, Drama, Explicit Sex, Harem, Human Shenanigans, Language, M/M, Orgies, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:41:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 71,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BittersweetAlias/pseuds/BittersweetAlias, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KimpatsuNoHoseki/pseuds/KimpatsuNoHoseki
Summary: Harry’s still licking his wounds from Marcus’ departure. It’s effected a lot more of him than he expected. He learns that denial is a river that could be very deep. Caught in the crossfire of a public media blitz, Harry travels with Jason to his hometown of Promise where Jason is mistaken for the son of the Governor. It’s his first trip without his men, and with Teddy in tow things should go well, right? Wrong. So very wrong.
Relationships: Crispin (Anita Blake)/Alex Penn/OC/Jason Schuyler/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Jason Schuyler, Jason Schuyler/OC, Micah Callahan/Edward (Anita Blake)
Series: Harem of a Necromancer [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1532249
Comments: 329
Kudos: 555





	1. Chapter 1

Maybe it was because of the ardeur or because of how well he knew all those around him, but Harry could tell a lot about a man by the way their hunger for sex chose to devour them. Everyone he had ever been with was very good at getting his blood to boil and sing, and one of his best buddies and wolves was no different. 

Casual sex and fuck buddies was a common thing in his life. His ardeur may now be more controlled, but he still had to feed. He still had to feed more than necessary to sustain him, and to keep it from activating other hungers that he’d developed over the years. If he took too much from the same person he could drain them of their energy. 

Who knew there was a thing such as loving someone too much?

Jason was one of his best friends, and most casual of fuck buddies, although not lately as it seemed he’d been trying to work out monogomy with his girlfriend. Harry had a feeling it wasn’t going so well. 

On most occasions, Harry would have stepped back. Everyone deserves to find their special someone or multiple someone’s. Harry had his own precious men, and Jason deserved someone too. He didn’t want to mess it up for him. 

But, Jason had come to him. He came to him with tears in his eyes, and dripping with need. It wasn’t like Jason had to beg, Harry was more than happy to give him the attention he wanted and needed. He was Jason’s Lupa after all, and the acting Ulfric of the clan. Jason was his responsibility. 

Harry cried out with trembling pleasure as his back arched when Jason’s strong hips pumped him harder and harder, each thrust had a desperation in it. A need, a power that showed the wolf behind the skin of a man. 

An aggression sort of hunger seemed to be on the plate today, and Harry had no problem with his aggression. He reached up and took hold of Jason’s throat making his spring blue eyes blur with a strong forceful pleasure. He sucked the younger man’s tongue, and rolled his own hips along the stiff cock that pounded him with a senseless need. He felt Jason’s muscles convulse over top of him, each one rippled and danced beneath his slick tanned skin. Harry ran his tongue down Jason’s mouth to his throat and began to bite. He fisted his longish blond hair, and drew a tiny amount of blood as Jason’s orgasms spilled inside of him. 

His arms were wrapped around Harry, and his fingernails dug in, scratching sharply down his back. 

“Oh God!” Jason begged as Harry manhandled his sweet begging wolf as the ardeur drank him down with every skin on skin contact. 

“No God here, Jason,” Harry growled with a lick up along the sweat of his chest, and then used his strength to flip them so that Jason was on his back with Harry settled on top. 

Jason moaned as Harry rolled his hips into a deep thumping grind that sent nerve crackling sparks. Harry licked his chest and nibbled along the edge of his nipple as he kept good motion of his hips, never stopping, and he trailed bites up to his neck and ear as Jason jutted his hips up. 

Harry pulled back and sat straight up on the pulsing cock begging for more, and leaned back to grab hold of the full balls. He squeezed them hard enough to make Jason plead for more. He pumped out Jason’s cum with his hand and hips. His own orgasms vibrated through him making his sounds reach a peak as he shook violently. 

His stomach and body clenched as he drained the last that he could from them both. He let go and fell on top of Jason who took hold of his cheeks and kissed him hard as he swallowed the whimpers down his throat. He poured some of his powers through Jason’s heated body, letting his wolf roll and nuzzle across Jason’s hidden beast. 

He didn’t know what was wrong with Jason, but whatever it was, he would take care of him. He was more than Jean-Claude’s Pomme de Sang after all. He was special to them all. He brushed his lips across Jason who was breathing heavy. 

“Better?” 

“Much…” Jason heaved, dropping his hand to Harry’s small waist. “Sorry, Lupa…” 

Harry took in his own gulps as the high and buzz of sex played over his skin and body. His ardeur was satisfied, and so was his body. 

Edward, Micah, and Peter were gone. Micah caught wind of a rogue wereleopard in Mississippi, and so the three had gone down there to take care of the issue. It left Harry with a rare week alone during the daylight except for of course his Teddy Bear who was growing like a weed in a garden. He and Teddy had been spending a lot of time together. At night Jean-Claude, Harry, and Teddy were always together, but the man was currently out for the day along with every other vampire in the city. Damian, Wicked, and Truth were downstairs in their own beds. Teddy had gone out with Draco and Hermione for the afternoon.

“No apology, Jason. I’m always happy to have you,” Harry said kissing him chastely on the edge of his cheek. He raked his fingers through Jason’s sweaty hair making his eyes flutter at the sensation. “You want to talk about it? What about Perdita? I don’t want to make things difficult.” 

Jason snorted. “Doesn’t matter,” he muttered. “We broke up. She gave me an ultimatum.” 

“What kind of ultimatum?” 

“I told her when we first got together that I can’t be monogamous. I made no bones about the fact that the life I chose does not fit with monogamy. I even reasoned with her. I said I’d not sleep with another woman, but that I just can’t be monogamous. She acted at the time like she was fine with that. It seems the merfolk are a very monogamous species.” 

“But she wasn’t?” Harry relaxed and stretched out his legs down around Jason’s hips and body. Jason’s cock still buried in him. Harry learned that all of his lovers liked to stay nestled inside if they could. He quite enjoyed the feeling too.

Jason smiled at the feel, and stroked down Harry’s neck along the gray furred diamond torc. “Not everyone is as comfortable with their sexuality as you, Lupa.” 

“Blame Jean-Claude and Edward and Micah. Oh hell, blame everyone,” Harry grinned, and Jason laughed with a bit more strength. It was nice to see. Jason had a sweet boy smile. Harry loved it. 

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. You always make me smile. You always take it all away. I would give anything to have someone like you around.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

He shook his head. “I’m not jealous. But, I do admit to a touch of envy. You and your men have such a tight trust and bond.” 

“It didn’t start out like that. I had no idea what I was doing or where the lines were. But, after enough time you get a feel for it. It’s not an exact science. But I know where I belong, and they know too.” He was happily engaged to three men. Yes, you heard it. Three. It had been sweet and mutual, and so very Edward the way he did it. His ring shined on his finger. A nice square diamond taken from his first torc that Jean-Claude had gifted him with. Each of them got one. It had a ring of diamonds around the square, and set into a platinum set. It was beautiful. Jean-Claude had cried afterwards. He’d never thought someone would want to marry him for real as he was and who he was. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good. 

Marcus, his once Ulfric, had ran for the hills and had no knowledge of Harry’s engagement. He ran away, and cut all ties with the Thronnos Rokke Clan, and Harry in particular. He hadn’t any idea where or what he was doing. It hurt. It broke his heart more than he liked to lead on. It’d left a hole that gaped open in his chest. He would wait and see if Marcus came back. He would wait if he had to, but the pack was looking for a new Ulfric. So far no one fit. Maybe, Harry didn’t want them to fit. He wanted Marcus back, but he had messed up. Every contender turned out to be an arse or a bastard. Harry had gotten all the Enforcers and top Alpha’s together to try and figure out what they wanted and what the pack needed. Everyone at the meeting agreed that no one currently at the top was right for the role. There were a few that hoped to one day lead a pack, but with a pack this large, they needed someone a bit more experienced. It was going to take some time before they found the right fit. Jason was Harry’s go too when the wolf side of him needed attention. He wasn’t an Ulfric by any means, hell he wasn’t an Alpha. But Harry adored him. As a great friend. As a fun lover, the two could just have fun messing around without complications. 

Stephen was another option, but just didn’t have the same connection as Jason. Luckily he didn’t seem to mind. It was nice how both were so uncomplicated. 

“I tried that. I wanted it to work, but…” He shook his head. “Her demands were ridiculous, and so when she told me that I wasn’t allowed to sleep with my own Master or Lupa, I sort of lost it and threw her out. She doesn’t seem to understand the metaphysical needs and ties of our culture. She won’t even pretend to try to understand. I told her that not since that orgy we had did I sleep with you or Jean-Claude. She didn’t believe me. I might not have blamed her, but I was honest about it. It’s been hard, but I tried.” 

“You shouldn’t do anything that makes you unhappy, Jason.” 

“I am Jean-Claude’s pomme de sang. I am his donor, and I’m proud to be his donor. I like it,” said Jason. “I like being needed. I like being wanted. Jean-Claude said that he would only ever share me if I wished for it. No master says that to their servant.” 

“Jean-Claude is more than a master, he’s also a person, and a man.” 

“You’re right. I told her that. But, she’s done this before. She got kicked out of Cape Cod because she wanted to be more than just a blood donor to a master vampire there.” 

“I thought Perdy was a spy for Sampson’s mother?” 

“Yeah, but Sampson went home. Perdy did not.” 

They used the excuse of the dangerous deadly Harlequin to send Sampson back home. Besides, it would have been a very bad relations idea to risk the life of the Master of Cape Cod’s eldest son. Perdita and Sampson were merfolk. 

“She stayed for you?” He made it a question. 

He nodded. “She wanted me to be hers. She’s very jealous, very possessive. I’m just not into that.” 

“I’m sorry, Jason.” 

He smiled. “She used to greet me like a woman does a man she loves, and it made me want to try, you know? At least try. I always wanted to be normal or as close as I can get. But, I’ve learned that normal isn’t for me. I’ve learned my likes and dislikes, I’ve learned my fears and what doesn’t scare me. I’ve managed to push the self-loathing aside, and see myself for something other than a piece of meat. I may be Jean-Claude’s donor, but I’m also his friend. I’m your friend. I’m even Edward and Micah’s. Am I Edward’s friend?” He then asked curiously. 

Harry grinned. “Yeah, you are, Jason. He likes you a lot. He respects you. He thinks you’re one of the most honorable of our men.” 

Jason laughed. “That means a lot, you know? But, she has been getting crazy jealous to the point of near violence. It’s like Meng-Die.” 

“Yikes.” 

“Yeah. For weeks it was like,  _ where have you been? Who have you been with? You fucked the master again, didn’t you? You fucked Asher, didn’t you? _ I’ve never touched Asher. He’s never touched me, not even to take blood. He’s purposely chosen a straight and unappealing Hyena as his pomme, and switches with various straight wolves who know its about blood only so that the connotations aren’t lost. He’s so loyal to Draco, and I like Draco. I wouldn’t do that.” 

“I know you wouldn’t. You don’t have to justify it, and besides, I’m sure Draco would try it a time or two with you for fun. He’s not that stringent.” 

Jason grinned. “True, but you know it’s the principle of the matter. I haven’t, and she thinks I have, and nothing I said would convince her. She wanted me to demand that Jean-Claude take me out of feeding rotation… I couldn’t believe the nerve of her.” He tightened his grip on Harry. “She then demanded that I marry her.” 

Harry blinked at this, and tried to roll what he said over. “That… is sudden. It wasn’t even a year!”

“Exactly. She wanted the till death do us part and all that. She’s a mermaid, which means she’ll outlive me. She can live for hundreds of years, not immortal like a vampire, but close enough. I don’t want to marry her,” Jason shook his head. “She’s obsessed with me. She says she loves me, but it doesn’t feel like love. Just feels like something beyond ownership, like what Raina would say and do.” 

“Yikes. I’m glad you’re here, Jason. Everyone’s out for the day. I’m alone just doing Jean-Claude’s morning work. It’s boring.” 

Jason chuckled. “Glad I am too. You’re one of the few who can make me laugh. Even when I’m really upset.” 

“I have a feeling it’s not Perdita that has you upset, Jason,” said Harry. 

“Can tell that, can you?” 

“I’m your Lupa and your friend.” Harry kissed his forehead. 

Jason locked his arms around Harry and squeezed him tight. His breathing came out in a soft gasp, and for a second Harry thought he was going to cry. 

“Jason?” Harry curled around his neck and buried his nose into the younger man’s hair. “You okay?” 

He just held on wordless, motionless, the strength in his arms and shoulders were heavy. He didn’t cry, but his throat made noises like he was trying to clear it. Harry stroked up and down Jason’s neck and into his head of growing hair. It had been cut last year, but now it was growing out beautifully. It was like wheat or pale blond. So baby fine, and soft. 

“I don’t want to forgive him…” Jason breathed into Harry. 

“Who?” 

“My father’s dying of cancer. My mom called last night. Just after Perdy and I broke up.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“I’m not sorry he’s dying. I hate him. He’s a cold bastard. We hate each other, and I don’t want to forgive him.” 

“What can I do?” Harry asked. 

“I’ve always been on the bisexual side. I’ve always had the free feeling about me, and my father hated it. He’s borderline homophobic,” said Jason into Harry’s chest. “Where I came from it was sports and marrying the girl of your dreams if you’re a guy. Problem is, I was a bit of a whore in school. I had female friends, I had guy friends who were gay. I like sex. I know I'm addicted, and it only got worse when I was turned. I’ve finally come to the point where I accepted myself. I accepted me for who I am. I like both, and I’m proud of that. It’s why I haven’t spoken to my family since I was about nineteen. I was the opposite in every way. I didn’t do sports, I stayed in dance from elementary school until I was a senior. It was hell of a lot of fun, and the male coach was fucking hot.” 

Harry laughed. 

“But… my father always made sure to let me know how much of a disappointment I was, and if he didn’t say it... he showed it. They refused to pay for a theatre degree, which was what I wanted.” 

“I’ll pay for it,” said Harry. 

Jason laughed. “I know you would. You and Jean-Claude would squabble over who gets to pay for me.” He threw his head back, and his eyes were shining. Half misery, half happiness. “You guys are my family, they’re not,” he said with steel in his voice. “All of them such fucking hypocrites. I got a job as a stripper because I knew it would fucking drive them nuts. But it was also a way of performing that I could do on the weekends, which meant I could go to college full time if I wanted. Our family looks perfect, but it’s a paton place. It’s why I can’t be monogamous. It’s why I can’t marry Perdita or want her exclusively. She’s just like them, different species, but the same inside.” 

Harry shifted so that he could sit up properly. “Jason, you don’t have to be anything or anyone that you don’t want to be. No one can tell you who to be. Not even family.”

“I washed my hands of them, and now they call. My mother is begging me to come make it right. I told her flatout that I’d just send him to an early grave. She begged me again. She asked if I’d bring a woman with me. Even a friend. I told her no because I was no longer the pleasing kind of guy toward them after their lack of acceptance. She still begged me, she wouldn’t listen to a word I said. As usual. She even asked me to hire a prostitute if I had to.” 

“She what?!” Harry’s disgust was ripe, and his indignance flowed out on Jason’s behalf. How dare they!?

Jason laughed coldly. “Yeah. Just something to show that I’m straight. Make him die happy. But he will never be happy with me, and I’ll never be happy with him. Why should he die happy when he was an evil bastard toward me?” He shook his head. “Nothing I could do could make him happy. I even let myself get caught a few times with girls, to see his reaction. But he just called me a whore. He said a man didn’t sleep with a hundred women. He said they settle down with one and only one.” 

“I really am not sure if I would like these people,” said Harry slowly. “Sorry.” 

“I don’t like them, and they’re supposed to be family.” 

“Sounds like my family - my relatives. The ones who took me in when my parents were murdered. It was horrible.” 

“Nothing will make them happy short of getting the kind of job my dad thinks is a manly job, getting married, and starting a family with an irritating house-wife who will drive me nuts. I like sex with women, Lupa. I love it, but if I’m being honest. I don’t want a relationship with one. I want one with a man, a guy. Someone that isn’t so fucking complicated. I may be into a woman long term if she was easy to be around and not so hard to deal with.” 

“There are plenty of them here,” said Harry causing Jason to laugh. 

“Yeah there is. I was never looking, but I’m thinking about it, seriously am. I love a woman’s curves, but… men are comfortable. Men are easy to be around. When I told her that I will never be what they want, she finally caved. She said bring myself, bring a man, bring anyone. She begged for me to come. I don’t know what to do.” Jason’s arms tightened around Harry who shifted so that they were laying side by side together and instead of Harry on top. Jason snuggled right down into his chest, and Harry stroked him for the longest time. “Will I regret it if I stay? Will I regret it if I go? Lupa… you understand death, what should I do?” 

Harry paused briefly in his ministrations. “I can’t tell you that, Jason. No one can but you. I lost both my parents before I was two, and then I just kept losing everyone as years went along. When I left my world there was no one left but myself. To be honest, I was virtually alone all my life. I had a couple of friends in Hermione and Ron, but… I was very distant. I had no one. My name being so famous in my world you could never tell who was real and who was fake.” 

Jason raised his head at this. “What do you mean?” 

“I was their savior, parents would tell their kids stories about me, fairytales. You remember Ginny? She heard the fairytales of me being a hero. So it was never me. It was the stories.” 

“Ouch…” Jason cringed. “You don’t consider Hermione a friend?” 

“I do, but aside from her and at the time Ron, my world was small. So when Jean came around it was like he blew the door, and Edward kicked my arse out into it. Do you want to go back and see him?” 

“No.” Jason flopped over onto his back and rubbed his forehead. All their sweat was gelling together now. “Maybe. Maybe I want to go and throw it in his face. Maybe I want to see him die. No, I don’t. I don’t know what I want. I know I can’t bear to go alone. Jean-Claude gave me permission to go if I wanted… but… I don’t have anyone to take with me. I’m a coward.” 

“You’re not a coward, Jason.” 

A knock at the door caught their attention, and Jason smiled. “Teddy’s home.” 

Harry grabbed the silky ice blue sheet and draped it over them. “Come in, Teddy Bear!” 

For most it might be a horrifying experience for a child to walk in a room where Harry was not laying with one of his fathers, but another man naked in bed. But Teddy had never been lied to, and had always been privy to Harry’s life. He knew as much as Harry could tell him. He would never leave him out. 

Besides, Teddy was a werewolf, and at ten years old, Harry noticed that he was starting to look like his father, Remus. Lately, he’d been walking around as his own self. He had soft light brown hair that was diagonally cut on the sides letting the ends touch his chin and cheek. His face was the heart-shape of his late mother Nymphadora, and his eyes were a beautiful glowing amber like that of Remus. He was getting taller, thinning out in the ankles and wrists slightly. 

He was currently wearing a pair of orange capri cargo shorts, and a light blue tank top. He had a platinum pendant around his neck with a brown topaz stone in it. It acted as a defense and an emergency port-key. He also walked around with two knives on him at all times. One was always strapped to his ankle, and hidden by an invisible knife holster, and the other sat in a black sheath on his hip. It had a glittering gold hilt but the blade was silver. 

Edward had been teaching him how to use knives, and Harry was teaching him defensive spells. He also carried Harry’s holly wand around. It too was strapped to his forearm, but couldn’t be seen much like Harry’s. 

“Hi Uncle Jason, Parrain!” He beamed. He didn’t care that Harry was in bed with Jason. In fact most of the time he often expected it whenever Jason came over. He was a happy boy. Happy and cheerful, and he lived the life that Harry could have only dreamed of. He was so healthy, happy, and he was safe. No matter how strange it would seem, raising him on the truth had definitely been the way to go. 

“Hey kiddo! You have fun at the park with Draco?” 

“Sure did.” Teddy hopped onto the bed. “You guys having fun together?” he asked with a cheeky grin. 

“Your Parrain is a lot of fun,” Jason grinned back, and Harry made a noise. 

“You guys like to try and make me red don’t you?” 

“It doesn’t work much these days,” Teddy quipped. 

“I blame all of you.” 

Jason cackled playfully, and Harry looked at the young man who always acted happy, but Harry could see the worry and concern hidden in his eyes. He didn’t show it much. He hid behind a veneer of a playful playboy, but Harry had seen behind the mask more than once. He was highly intelligent, and while he didn’t have brute strength. He had a strength of will. He was not a coward. 

“Hey Teddy, what do you think about you and me going with Jason to his hometown?” Harry asked, making Teddy’s eyes light up. 

Jason turned and stared at him. “What do you mean?” 

“She said you can bring anyone right? You don’t want to go alone, and me and Teddy have all week alone in this house without Edward and Micah around. I’m sure Jean-Claude can check that it’s okay, and Teddy and I can come with you. Make a small holiday of it.” 

Teddy nodded. “That sounds like fun! We haven’t been on vacation since we went to New Orleans in February.” They had gone down for a little visit and exploration. While there, Harry and the guys made sure to greet the Master of the City, Lorcan, properly. Who knew a grand piano could hold up while Harry was having sex on top with a vampire? 

“You… really want to go home with me?” Jason asked. 

“Why not? I’ll bet if they’re those types that try to act all perfect in public we can use Teddy to our advantage,” he said grinning. 

Teddy giggled. “Oh? What am I going to do?” 

“Be yourself, that’s what you’re going to do.” 

Jason laid back with an arm over his head, and thought about it. “Huh, that could work. It would also be a fun distraction. What would you go as?” 

“Whatever you want me to be. Lupa, friend, lover. It doesn’t matter. I’m just going with you for you. We’ll go for your emotional support, and maybe we can have a bit of fun somehow. Who knows?” 

“You’ll probably have a lot of fun together,” Teddy teased causing Jason to laugh out loud. 

“I love this kid.” He ruffled the boy’s hair. 

Teddy wrinkled his nose. “I’m not going to be a kid for too much longer.” 

“Yes you are. You’ll be my kid forever,” said Harry. 

Teddy stuck out his tongue. 

“I’ll bite it off.” 

“I’ll bite you back!” Teddy grinned some more. “So, are we going?” 

Jason and Harry looked at each other, and Jason nodded. “I’d like that. I don’t know what’s going to happen. It might get bad. Some things might get said, as I said. It’s a paton place. Full of Promise,” he said with a bit of sarcasm. 

“Promise?” 

“That’s the town. It’s called Promise.” 

“Huh, odd.” 

“You have no idea.” 

“I’ll go pack!” Teddy hopped off the bed and ran out of the room at full speed. He was faster than ever these days. 

“I think he’s excited.” 

“I wish I was,” said Jason. He sighed. “I’ll ask one more time. You sure? He’s a cruel man. He wouldn’t even let my mom tell me he was sick. That is how insignificant I am.” 

“What do you want to tell him if you see him?” 

“Tell him how much I hate him. I never did say it to his face. I’d like to,” said Jason. 

“Well, if that’s what you want to do. I think you should do it.” He couldn’t exactly advise on this. He wasn’t sure what he’d say if Aunt Petunia called him and told him Uncle Vernon was dying. He’d probably throw a small party or go and dance on his grave after he’d been put under. 

“The doctors say he only has weeks. He won’t make another Christmas. I admit I know it’s a bad idea to bring you in as a lover, but I am so tempted. Just to toss it in his face, and then watch you and him go head to head. You’re good at making people feel three feet tall. I’d love to see some inches off of him. He was a bully.” 

Harry frowned at this. “Did he abuse you?” 

Jason looked at Harry with a strange almost empty expression. It was not a look Harry enjoyed seeing on someone like Jason. “He always hurt me by accident, trying to toughen me up. He’d try to teach me a sport and I’d come home bruised and bloody. He broke my arm finally trying to teach me football, and mom wouldn’t let him take me out by ourselves again. He was always careful that it wasn’t abuse. Nothing you could call him on. But, he was always too rough, too harsh for my age, my size. I started therapy in my teens because the school counselor encouraged it. Therapy taught me that my dad was an abusive asshole. He wanted to hurt me.” 

_ My how familiar that sounded, _ Harry thought. Not the whole sports thing, but the accidents that they could get away with. Merlin, it was no wonder Harry and Jason got a long, they sort of came from a very similar household. 

“Well, he’s lying in a bed dying. He can’t exactly hurt you anymore physically. Now let me ask you this time, you sure you want to do this?” 

Jason closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his forehead as if he was willing it to give him the right answer. After a few minutes he gave a nod. “Hell yeah. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of my family that I have now. I’m proud of those who accept me. I want to shove it in their faces. I want to be the mean one for once.” 

Harry rolled over into him and kissed his jaw. “You don’t know how to be mean.” 

Jason smiled. “No, I guess I don’t. But I do know how to play games. I’ve learned from the masters.” 

“Yeah, you might have. I better go make sure Teddy isn’t packing his whole closet.” Jason bounced up into a sitting position, and there was a look of joy on his face as he swung his arms around Harry and squeezed him tight. “You keep squeezing me like that you’re going to get something started again…” 

Jason laughed warmly against him. “Oh really? You think we have time before Teddy pops back around?” 

“Oh yeah, he’s got to pack remember? He’s going to be in there a while.” 

Jason could only grin. “No ardeur?” 

“I don’t want to kill you, Jason. I can enjoy sex without it,” He rolled on top of Jason who pulled him in for a deep stirring kiss. 

Sex always left things on a high note. 


	2. Chapter Two

Harry had some calls to make as he sat on Teddy’s bed. Jason had borrowed his Escalade to go and pack some clothes. Teddy was trying to pile his small carry-on suitcase with half his wardrobe. Considering Jean-Claude was always adding new clothes, it meant that half was enough to dress all of St. Louis’ kidlets. So Harry was playing the game of. _ ‘No,’ ‘You don’t need that, Baby.’ ‘Nah. Are you going to a ball? At ten?’  _ The bag itself might be near endless, but Harry so didn’t want to be swimming in clothes for a week trying to find one outfit that matched. 

“Parrain, it’s not called a ball anymore. It’s called a dance!” Teddy snickered. Harry stuck out his tongue as he dialed Edward’s mobile phone. It was not yet dark enough for Jean-Claude to be awake so he’d start with his other lovers. 

“Little Raven, what are you doing?” Edward answered after one ring. 

_ Good he’s not in the middle of dealing with the shifter. _ Harry grinned at the phone, though Edward couldn’t see it. “I’m packing my bags, and I’m leaving.” 

“Say what?” 

“I’m going on an adventure, me and Teddy. Aren’t we?” 

“We sure are! Hi, Dad! Hi, Papa if you’re listening!” 

“I’m here,” said Micah coming on the line. “Now, where are you going?”

“And why? Who is going with you?” Harry could hear the rustle of sheets, he must of caught them after a round of sex. 

Harry laughed. “I guess it’s not really that funny. But, it’s Jason.” And he told them everything. “So I’ve volunteered Teddy and me to go and be his support.” 

“Have you spoken to Toy?” asked Edward. 

“I’m going to in exactly one hour. He should be waking up,” said Harry checking the green clock on the wall. It was one made up of frogs, and it croaked at noon and at six in the evening. 

“You’re not taking anyone with you?” asked Edward. 

“Do I have to?” Harry shifted slightly as Teddy held up to shirts for consideration. After a moment Harry pointed to the green one.

“You can’t feed on him the whole time,” Micah reminded. 

“I know, but if we’re there only a couple days it’ll be fine. If I get word I’m going to be there longer, I’ll let everyone know as soon as I can. I have good control over it these days. Sometimes I don’t even notice when it rises and collects. I can even just touch someone and get enough to keep me going. I’ve checked the territory locations, and there are no were groups. It’s a tiny town. Not really much going on there.” 

His men had been a bit more relaxed about him going out alone. He still had guards from time to time, but small things he could now go alone since he promised if things got bad he could apparate away, and he would. Normally, he didn’t do such a thing because he hated running from trouble. It had a habit of catching up to him. 

“Just be careful and take a lot of weapons with you. Is Teddy wearing his knives?” 

“Always am, Dad!”

“Good.” 

“We’re mostly going there so Jason can tell his father to fuck off, and so he doesn’t regret not going. I don’t know how this is going to go. It’s way too similar to my own upbringing. I know if this was one of my relatives, I’d go and dance on their graves and throw a small party.” 

Micah laughed at him. “Well, you go help Jason. Sounds like he really needs his Lupa.” 

“He really does, and Teddy will be a great barrier that’ll make ‘normal’ appearing people straighten their spines a bit. They wouldn’t want to say or do anything incorrigible in front of a ten year old after all.” Harry ruffled Teddy’s hair as the boy walked past.

Teddy grinned. “I won’t let them hurt Jason! I’ll tell them off.” 

“And I won’t stop you,” said Harry. “So long as you have evidence and proper reasons to back up your telling off of course.” 

“Yup!” 

“Edward are you okay with this?” Harry asked, noticing he had gone quiet. 

“I don’t like you going alone, but I suppose Jason will do in a pinch.” 

“He’s not alone, Dad, I’ll be with him! I’ll help watch over him,” said Teddy. 

“Yes, I know you will buddy.” 

“You don’t think it’s a good idea?” Harry asked with a frown. “I should have asked you guys before offering. It’s just he looked so pitiful. I don’t really know what to do in these situations because I never had parents, and all in my life just disappeared. I never had one last conversation with anyone and knew it.” 

“It’s not fun,” Micah agreed. “Almost kind of jealous of Jason, I have to admit.” 

“Why?” 

“You’re going home to meet his parents,” he said with a hint of bitterness. 

Harry knew that Micah had cut all contact with his own family thanks to Chimera. “You know you can always call them. That’s over with now, and I’d love to meet them.” 

“Maybe,” said Micah. “Sorry, Baby. You go with Jason. You and Teddy and have a good time if you can.” 

“That’s the plan, hopefully.” 

“Keep your phone on you at all times,” said Edward. 

“Where’s Peter?” Harry asked and shook his head at Teddy when he tried to put his little Egyptian statue that Edward had gotten him when they were in Britain. “You don’t need that baby.” 

“He fell asleep when we got back to the hotel. I took him to the shooting range earlier today. He didn’t do too bad.” 

“I don’t?” Teddy tilted his head. 

“No, and I don’t really want to dig around it for your clothes. Do you have underwear?” 

“Oops, I forgot!” 

“Don’t forget your pajamas either.” Which amounted to simple t-shirts and underwear because he liked to kick his pajama bottoms off these days. He didn’t like them. He thought they were too hot when he slept at night. Micah had explained that some shifters burn at a hotter temperature when they sleep, especially near the full moon. “I need to pack soon myself, and then call Jean.” 

“Put the phone on speaker, we’ll help him pack,” said Edward. “When you’re both done you can call Toy.”

“By that time we’d likely need to get back out of bed and dressed ourselves.” Micah hummed. 

Harry did. “Let them know what you’re packing, baby. I’m going to pack my own. Bring the phone in when you’re done.” 

“Okay, Parrain!” 

“Love you Edward. Love you Micah.”

“We love you too, Baby.” Harry set the phone on the bedside table and left the room. “What have you packed already, Pup?” 

“Parrain made me take out half the clothes I packed.” Teddy mused looking at the bag. “What should I be packing?”

“It’s good to be prepared, but remember why you are going. Pack things for that first, then consider other things that may happen.” Edward advised the boy.

“So, pack to meet Uncle Jason’s family first.”

“That’s right.”

“Guess Parrain was correct that I wouldn’t need anything for a dance, huh?”

“You’re going to support Jason in saying goodbye to his dying father. Somber colors and maybe a suit in case he dies while you are there and the family rushes the funeral.” Micah piped in.

“What’s somber mean?”

“Dark and dull colors. Pack blacks, dark grey, browns, and other darker colors. What about that light jacket that JC got you? The grey one?” Teddy looked around his room for the jacket Micah mentioned. 

“Found it!” He stuffed it into the bag. “Should I pack any activities?”

“Yes, you can’t watch tv the whole time Little Raven is feeding the ardeur. Take a few activities with you. Take that dart board I got you. Practice your throwing skills.” 

“You can say when Parrain is having sex. I know what feeding the ardeur is.” Teddy pouted. “Just like I know you had sex just before Parrain called. I heard the sound of sheets moving and Papa let out a small moan when you both shifted. I don’t think Parrain heard that though.”

“Haha, Baby would kill us for saying he’s having sex to you, Pup. He likes to pretend you don’t know the word sometimes. I see your hearing as improved again.” Micah said as Edward chuckled over the line. 

“He wouldn’t kill you. He likes sex with you too much. But didn’t you break him of that habit when we were in the UK? I’ve walked in on it enough times and know the smell. I also know what it sounds like and when to wait for you all to finish before knocking on the door.” 

“Cheeky brat. Don’t go getting Little Raven riled up where we can’t enjoy it. Let Little Raven pretend a bit more. He doesn’t want you growing up too fast, you’re his baby.”

“I’ll do my best.” 

“Did he have fun with Jason?” Micah asked. 

“From the way they smelled, I’d say they did.” Teddy scanned the room, and then he smiled when he saw something glittering in one of his drawers. He walked over to it, and lifted the silkiness of it. “Hehe.” 

“What are you giggling about?” Micah asked. 

“Nothing,” Teddy sing-songed as he folded the soft fabric, and then went over to his bag and slipped it all the way into the bottom.

“Doesn’t sound like nothing. What are you packing?” 

“Soft fabrics,” Teddy answered with all the innocence he had. 

“He’s your son when he answers so cryptically,” Micah remarked. 

“What does that mean?” 

“Mysterious.” 

“I’m not doing anything mysterious over here. I’m debating what to take and what not to take. I think I have a good enough amount of clothes, at least five outfits. But, how should I pack the suit clothes?” 

“Let Little Raven do that for you, buddy. You keep a good watch on him. Don’t let him get into trouble.” 

“I won’t! I’ll go give you to Parrain now.” He zipped his bag, and headed out of the room and down the hall. Harry smiled when he came in. “I think I’m done, Parrain.” 

“Lay the phone down.” 

“Can you pack my suit clothes in case we have to go to a funeral?” 

“Sure, but I somehow doubt we’ll be there that long. Jason was really stressed. Apparently, his father didn’t even want him to know he was sick. How inconsiderate is that?” he scowled. “Sounds way too much like the Dursleys, ulgh. I’ll expect some homophobia and cutting words.” 

“I don’t like the sound of that,” said Micah. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright? I don’t want Teddy around that.” 

“I’ll be fine, Papa! I won’t let anyone hurt Jason,” he repeated. 

“Oh, I’ll be going as myself, and you better believe that I’m not going to care if he’s weeks from dying. I’m good at diplomacy.” 

“And you’re good at making people feel like shit and not know why,” Micah laughed. 

“That’s what they say.” 

“I guess shooting him isn’t an option.” 

“He’s probably on oxygen, the room would explode,” Harry laughed. “No, a grumpy old man already dying isn’t worth it. Merlin, when I heard about the ‘accidents’ he had as a kid. It really brought the memories.” 

He spoke to them for a good ten more minutes before telling them to have fun on their hunt, and soon they hung up. Harry made sure he was packed for at least five days with an extra set of clothes on top of that because he knew that sometimes things got messy. All would be fine so long as he had enough underclothes to do him. 

He reminded Teddy of shoes, socks, and other basics that he might have forgotten, and the boy started running back and forth again. 

Impromptu packing without planning with a kid. Lots of fun! 

It was almost seven o’ clock, still daylight, but Harry knew that Jean-Claude was awake. He could feel him along the connection. It was always a strong windy sensation that rose through him when this happened. 

“Good evening mon Amour. How is mon Petit Loup?” his musically gifted voice trailed like velvet through the room. 

“Good evening to you too, Jean. Both of us are great.” 

“Jason just arrived and let me know that you are traveling to his hometown with him. I am sorry to hear about his father.” 

“I sort of am and sort of not. I’m not sure how to feel about the situation. I’ll bet he downplayed it with you,” said Harry, and proceeded to tell Jean-Claude exactly what kind of person the father happened to be. “I couldn’t let him go alone, but if he doesn’t go he might regret it, you know? So, Teddy and I are going for support. Is this okay? I’ve checked the map.” 

“It is considered neutral, though the Master of the City of Charleston would like to have you believe otherwise. But it is not big enough to be policing so stringently. No one wants to fight over it. Did you call mon Tueur d’Ombre and Chaton?” 

“Yep, while waiting for you to wake up,” said Harry. “They helped Teddy pack. He kept trying to channel you with half his closet.” 

Jean-Claude chuckled. “It’s lovely to hear your voice when I first rise for the night. It is a pity you and he won’t be here, but I understand.”

“You could come with us. You have Elinore who can take over your duties,” Harry said in offering. 

“I would, but I do not think Jason needs a master right now. He needs a friend and his Lupa. As much of a friend as we are behind closed doors, he is still my pomme. He would feel the need to hide his feelings from the situation, and that is not healthy for him.” 

“You might be right. You sound like a therapist,” Harry laughed. 

“Oui. Are you taking anyone with you?” 

“I wasn’t planning on it.” 

“And the ardeur? You cannot keep feeding on Jason.” 

“It’s only a couple of days, and I know how to touch feed now if I have to.” Harry would rather not do that because calling upon the ardeur while touching someone had a habit of sending that someone into a sexual frenzy. It would start light with arousal, and then it would grow and grow. Jean-Claude had been showing him how at Guilty Pleasures. It wasn’t satisfying like real sexual contact. It was more like a snack or an empty calorie of bad fast food. It took off the edge. 

“You know it is not a replacement.” 

“I know, but I kind of want to go with just Teddy and no guards, you know? Teddy and I haven’t done anything just us in a while.” 

“Oui. I think you two should go and try and give Jason some fun and enjoyment. I shall keep the links open. If you can’t find a quick feed or if Jason is unable please tell me, and I shall feed for you.” 

“Thanks, Jean.” 

“I’ll have the jet ready and prepared for you for the morning. Is nine o’ clock good? I still say you should bring at least one guard. Just in case, but I shall leave you to it.” 

“It’s perfect. If it puts you in a bad spot you can pick someone. I won’t argue,” Harry compromised. “I know this is last minute. So you can do what you feel you must.” 

“I know, but you are going as family, not as representatives. If our dear assassin fiancé says it’s fine, then I shall believe him.” 

Harry grinned at the term fiancé. It was nice to hear, and Jean-Claude loved using the term. It only got confusing if he didn’t add something before the fiancé part because you know, three fiancés. “I like hearing you say that,” he said softly. 

“I like saying it. I am filled with great love for the three of you or I should say four, Teddy is not to be left out.” 

“He’s who you fell in love with anyway. It was my plan all along,” Harry playfully cackled causing Jean-Claude to laugh. 

“Oui, and you did it so superbly. No one can resist a bebe.” 

Harry would have to let people know where and what he was doing. He had more calls to make. It was a good thing that he wasn’t leaving until in the morning. He’d have to call Shang-Da who was acting as Ulfric while Harry was busy, but insisted that he did not want the actual position. He was a guard, and he wanted to stay that way. No one respected Jamil enough to accept him as a stand-in. He was far too emotionally charged with a temper, and he was simply not leader material. He also knew that Jean-Claude had full control of his wolves now. It seemed as Harry’s powers grew so did Jean-Claude. 

After getting off with Jean-Claude that was exactly what he did. He made a lot of phone-calls. He also called Zerbrowski to let him know that he would be going out of town. He’d only seen the man a handful of times since December, the last time was at the spring barbecue that was hosted at their house. A few traveling shifters and a troublesome vampire that tried to eat his way through college students had been the only real cases that RPIT had to deal with in the last year. A lot of things had become mostly peaceful after the Harlequin debacle. Boy had that barbecue been an experience. 

He learned quickly that normal simply wasn’t for him. He loved Katie, Ze, and their kids but all the soccer mums and football dads had been annoying. Who in their right mind told their kids that storks brought babies? Teddy had wondered that too, and had startled the entire barbecue with his extensive intelligence on how babies were born. 

Least to say a lot of people had been horrified, and Micah hadn’t stopped laughing for an hour afterwards. Even Edward had been amused. 

He spent time on the phone with Rafael who promised to help him out with his leopards, and then he rang Noah who had been staying with Cherry for the better part of this year when he wasn’t guarding Micah or checking in on the house of leopard submissives. As the only alpha leopard with Harry and Micah gone, and the Gardien, it would be on him to lead on any issues. Noah knew he could go to Rafael for assistance and wasn’t ashamed to do so. He knew he wasn’t Nimir-Raj material, and happily so. Noah also let Harry know that he’d ask Nathaniel to stop by the house to cook meals for those that lived there, just so that they could make sure everyone was fed.

His last phone call was to the last person he wanted to talk to, and that was Haven. Haven was the new Rex of the St. Louis Pride. Joseph, the former Rex had been a coward and an idiot. He’d attacked Harry and tried to bring his beast. It all resulted in Joseph and his family fleeing for their lives, and Haven coming in to take over. 

Harry was technically a Regina, but he had so much on his plate that there was simply no way he could give the Pride the attention it needed. He’d laid out a few rules to Haven before leaving him with the rest of it. No mob rubbish, to leave the college kids in college, and Travis and Noel were his. Haven was still trying to pursue him, but Harry had been resistant. He wasn’t ready for another real relationship after Marcus, and Haven had trouble playing nicely with others. 

Like Jason, Harry could not live in monogamy. His wants and lifestyle now fully forbade him being with one person and one person only. Not that he would want to be with only one person. He loved his core men. Jean-Claude, Micah, and Edward were everything to him. After Marcus, he came away with the perspective that some fit with his life and some did not. It was not his fault if they didn’t fit. 

Hermione still had trouble understanding Harry’s relationships. She was strictly with Louie, and quite happy to be. Her and Draco were currently working on surrogacy. Harry suspected in a year or two there would be a Malfoy child running around his house. Harry silently admitted that he couldn’t wait for that. A chance to cuddle a baby and spoil it. A baby running around the house would be great. 

Shockingly enough, Asher had been Draco’s greatest supporter when it came to surrogacy with Hermione, and Louie was the good sort of bloke to also support their decision. He was far and away better than what Richard was. 

Wicked Truth were the least pleased when Harry told everyone his plans. Both wanted to go with him, but acknowledged that they couldn’t exactly move around in the daytime, which is when Harry would be the most vulnerable since hospital visiting hours didn’t extend into the wee hours of the night. 

Harry kissed them both, and promised that the next trip he had to take, they would be his first choice. Damian was okay with it, and promised to help watch over the rest of the weres that lived at the house, not to mention those that came and went often. 

It wasn’t until almost two that he finally fell into the bed beside Teddy who had taken up residence in his Dad’s and Papa’s spots, they’d be meeting Jason at the airport in the morning. Who knew leaving on a trip could cause such disturbance? It wasn’t like he was the Queen of England. 

oOo

Harry was never going to understand the whole in-style thing. Who needed a hood on every shirt? What was the use of it? 

He dressed the next morning in a hooded short-sleeve top, and a pair of snug fitting white jeans with white calf height boots that had a few silver buckles going up and down the sides. He had asked Jason how he should dress, and had been told to dress as himself. He hadn’t wanted to make any mistakes regarding his family. 

His wild black hair was, as usual, stuck up at all ends and the torc around his neck glowed beneath the lights; JCHEM done in diamonds with only the H being an emerald. It made his emerald eyes look bigger and drew attention to them. He affixed the furred cuffs on his wrists and stuck his wand and a couple knives in their places. 

Teddy came streaking through with a big smile on his face. He was currently dressed in black cargo trousers and a shirt like Harry’s but dark green. 

“We’re almost matching!” 

“Yes we are,” said Harry. “I still don’t get the hood thing.” 

“It’s fashion Parrain. I guess if it rains we can pull it up?” 

“That’s true. Still silly since we’ll be in a plane then a car, but cute.” Teddy snickered. “Did you brush your teeth?” 

“Yep!” 

“Good.” 

They took a port-key to the airport, each one of them had a single bag. Jason was waiting nervously by the gates. Harry let out a whistle when he saw that Jason was dressed finely in an expensive Italian-cut designer suit. It was a charcoal shade and looked really good on his frame showing how nice his broad shoulders were with a narrow waist. His tie was a silk thin sky blue, the shirt beneath the suit was a darker blue, and the effect made his already pretty eyes even prettier. Jean-Claude had dressed him too. 

Harry had a few suits himself, but he didn’t wear them often. He was the human servant after all, and had to be flashy and something about being on the verge of sexual at all times while at the same time being appropriate. Whatever that meant. All he knew was that he was supposed to draw eyes to him. 

“You look gorgeous, Uncle Jason!” Teddy beamed. “Maybe I should have worn a suit too?” 

“You don’t need it,” said Jason grinning. 

“Looking sexy,” Harry grinned. 

“That’s the point or something like it.” 

“I could have mimicked you if you think it’s easier.” 

“No. I’m not doing this to please them. I’m doing this to make them swallow a fucking razor, however metaphysical that is,” said Jason. “Let’s see what they think about a stripper wearing an expensive suit.” 

“You’re more than a stripper, Jason.” 

“I know that, you know that. But they don’t nor do they care,” said Jason with a wolfish grin. 

Harry leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Let’s go then.” 

Jean-Claude’s Jet was really the only way to travel when it came to style and comfort. All crush dark blue, velvet seats with some beneath the windows, which yes, they did pull down to shut out all light. Some seats were swivel, and the pilot was named Pete. He was a werewolf and good at what he did; the co-pilot was a wererat named Stewart. Jean-Claude didn’t bother to call in a flight attendant for them. Not that they would need one. 

It would be a two or three hour flight straight to Asheville, and then about a half hour ride or so to Jason’s hometown, and from the look on Jason who had chosen a swivel seat, those hours were far too close for comfort. 

“You wanna play a game, Uncle Jason?” Teddy asked. “I brought some cards and boardgames.” 

“Really?” Jason grinned that award winning smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What games did you bring?” 

“Uhm, well, a bit of everything. I don’t think it’s a good idea to play darts on the plane. Might have accidents, and Dad would kill me.” 

Harry laughed, and tousled his soft brown hair. He was still going as himself, which Harry approved of. For years Teddy had said that he thought he was boring looking, and so it was nice to see him as he was with a bit of Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin. Although, his eyes were an almond shaped emerald green. Harry supposed he couldn’t resist changing a little something. It was his nature after all. 

Harry erected a table, and they ended up playing the game of Trouble. It helped to alleviate some of the tension in Jason’s shoulders. 

Harry had brought some small homemade snacks from home for everyone, but one and a half hours in Jason couldn’t concentrate on playing and was just staring at the board. Teddy had chosen to read a book while stretched out on the window seat. 

Harry moved to sit beside Jason. “You’ll be okay.” 

Jason tilted his head, his eyes shaded. “Can we have sex when we get to the hotel?” 

“Already?” Harry asked as Jason wrapped himself around Harry and cuddled into him. 

“Please?” 

Harry stroked his cheek. “We can do whatever you want. But don’t you want to go to the hospital?” 

“I don’t want to do this at all. I don’t want to go to the hospital. I don’t want to go to the house that made me miserable. I don’t want any of it.” 

Harry pulled Jason closer, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Just say the word and I’ll tell the pilot to take us to Myrtle Beach instead.” 

Jason grinned against him. “You would, wouldn’t you?” 

“Yep.” 

“God, I need to find someone like you, Lupa.” 

Harry’s cheeks grew warm. “I don’t think it’s going to be that hard, Jason.”

“You’d be surprised how few there are of people like you.” He raised his head and looked at him. “If I knew my ass wouldn’t get kicked, I’d say I was in love with you.” 

Harry laughed. “I love you too, Jason.” 

“And you mean it, don’t you?” 

“Yes, I do.” He kissed Jason’s cheek sweetly. 

“I want someone to want me the way your men want you, and the way you want your men. I want someone to love me the way you love everyone else.” 

“You will. Perdita might not have been right, but there are others. I mean we have a huge list in St. Louis. All the good ones are there, I assure you.” 

Jason laughed. “Yeah, I guess we do have a good crowd, hm? I like Nathaniel, but we’re too much alike. We wouldn’t be good for each other. I’m not Alpha enough, and he’s too submissive. I mean, we have a lot of fun together, but it doesn’t have the same need and pull, you know?” 

“I know, that’s why I couldn’t accept Nathaniel’s advances. I adore him too.” 

“You know everyone well don’t you? You treat them all individually. He’s mentioned how he does love you. He’s in love with you, but he knows he can’t have you.” 

“It would be unfair to him. But, you know, if you want someone Jason all you have to do is stop resisting. Stop letting things hold you back, that’s what I finally did when I agreed to Jean-Claude. I finally stopped all the self-loathing. Stopped all the whys, and just let it be.” 

Jason looked up at him. “What do you mean?” 

Harry smiled somberly. “I think I understand why you and I get along so well. We’re a lot alike.” 

“You think we’re alike?” 

“Yes. You come from an almost identical background to mine. Of course, you had parents and I had relatives, but the way you grew up. Sounds so very identical. You hide behind it with sex. I hid behind my own with loneliness.” 

Jason’s eyes creased, and then he nodded. “Yeah, that’s what my therapist said.” 

“He or she is right. You can hide behind it. It’s fine. Everyone has to hide sometimes, but, if you want something you have to step out and push all that self-loathing aside. Sometimes, you need someone else to help you. Most will tell you that you have to help yourself, but you can’t do it alone. I don’t care what experts say. I didn’t stop my own self-loathing until I met Jean, Edward, and Micah and we all became one together. It was right. Just fit, you know?” 

Jason kissed Harry, and he knew that if Teddy hadn’t been there reading across from them, Jason might have made him re-subscribe to the Mile High Club. 

The runway was a small one for personal jets to land on. The jet gave a few dramatic bumps as they slowed. Harry was stowing Teddy’s games away, and let them disappear into the bag as if they were plush that could be squished without problem. 

Jason spent time watching with a grin on his face. “I still find your magic amazing.” 

“It is,” Harry agreed. “I used to say that for years when I learned I was a wizard.” 

“Can I carry my own bag, Parrain?” Teddy asked. 

“Sure, use the strap on your weak side so that your strong side is free,” he said, repeating a lesson Edward was teaching Teddy. 

“Really, Lupa?” Jason grinned. 

“Do you want to explain to Edward why his son’s strong side was busy holding a bag if he gets into trouble?” 

“No,” Jason shuddered. “Explaining to him is sweat inducing, and not in the sexy fun way. Shit, he’s good at making people spill secrets, and without the wiles of a vampire.” 

Harry laughed as he zipped his own bag and slung it onto his left side of his shoulder and took Teddy’s small hand in his. “Yeah. Somehow, he always knows what’s going on. You should have seen how it was when we weren’t serious or he was gone for long periods of time. He seemed to always know what I was up to. He’d come back after a month gone, and he'd be like, ‘ _ so, four zombie raises now, hm?’ _ And I only just discovered this the night before myself! I mean, when I went to that party with Phillip, he knew I was there. He knew I was going to go there before I knew.” 

“That is impressive,” said Jason. “I can’t believe you went to one of those.” 

“For investigative purposes only,” said Harry. “I refuse to say the word freak. I don’t like that word.” 

“I know, it’s been forbidden across the board. Willie used that word a couple months ago at random, and Jean-Claude dressed him down until he was one foot tall.” Jason held out his hand, and Harry laced their fingers together. With perfect symmetry the three slipped through the narrow aisle as the door slowly opened automatically. They descended down the folding stairs one by one, Teddy walking in between the two men. The sun was brilliant and way too bright. June had a habit of making the sun explode in a shower of orange, yellow, and gold. 

“My eyes hurt,” Teddy squeaked as he used one hand to shield them. Harry let go of Teddy’s hand, reached into his bag, produced the sunglasses that he had remembered to stuff away. He handed them off while taking the new pair of silver rimmed Gucci sunglasses for himself; the old Dior ones had snapped last year when Viv sat on them. Of course he could have fixed them, but Jean-Claude chucked them and bought him a whole rack of new ones. Way too expensive. Come to find out that puzzling question Harry had years ago about why Jean-Claude had a rack of sunglasses was answered. Jean-Claude had bought them for him and his pomme de sang. Stephen and Gregory would be taking Jason’s place for the week as Jean-Claude’s pommes. 

Harry looked over the runway as Teddy stepped aside to let him off the stairs. There was a man with a clipboard, seemingly checking things off a list, half way between the plane and the hanger they stopped in front of. Behind the man was another standing between a limousine and the garage. Harry was pretty sure Jean hadn’t called a luxury car for them and neither man held a sign. 

“Did Père get us a car?”

“No Teddy he didn’t.” Harry muttered as he ran a hand down the boy’s back. 

That was when the man with the clipboard came around toward them. Jason stiffened almost immediately as if he recognized him. He was of average height, and almost bald wearing a nice suit. Not as nice as Jason’s but then it was likely that few were. 

Harry could tell by the way he walked, the way his arms swung that he was some sort of guard, and not a single one that he would know. 

“Mr. Summerland, I didn’t expect you until tomorrow.” He was smiling in a way that looked like he was starring in a commercial for Colgate. His teeth were too white. He then frowned when he saw Harry and Teddy, and his eyes crinkled with confusion. 

“I’m not one of the Summerlands,” said Jason, and he said it as if the confusion wasn’t unexpected. 

The man looked at Jason, then at Harry and Teddy once more, and then the man winked. “Of course not, you’re Mr. Smith?” 

Harry arched a brow at this. “Jason, who is this?” 

“I imagine he works for the Summerlands,” said Jason with a partial smile that held bitterness in it. He sighed. “The name is Schuyler, Jason Schuyler. I am not Keith Summerland.” 

“Whatever you say, Mr. Schuyler.” 

“Crap,” Jason said under his breath. 

“What’s going on?” Harry asked, noticing a well dressed man slowly making his way closer. He made a gentle touch to Teddy who quickly slipped behind him. 

“If I was a Summerland, why was I coming tomorrow?” Jason asked. 

The man looked puzzled, but he played along in whatever game he thought they were playing. “Your bachelor party, of course. You’re getting married at the end of the week. Your brother arrived yesterday with his fiancé.” 

Jason’s eyes fell closed for a moment as if he were reciting something in his head, and then opened them. “Look, I am a distant cousin of the Summerlands, I got mistaken for the twins all through school. My name really is Jason Schuyler. This is my friend Harry Potter-Black, and his son. I’m here to visit my family.” 

“Of course you are,” but it was clear that he didn’t believe Jason. What the bloody hell? He was about to just say screw it and charm the fellow into forgetting they existed, but the well dressed man was slowly moving closer. He looked casual, but Harry noticed the strength in his strides. He wore a crisp brown button down shirt tucked into a pair of black tailored slacks that fit him rather well. He had a well placed suit, and would almost look ordinary if his shoulders weren’t so broad and giving Harry a good idea that he was very well maintained. He had a phone on his hip, and also a standard issue. 

Cop? Detective? 

“Who are the Summerlands?” Harry asked, and the man looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. 

Jason grinned. “I love that you say that, Lupa,” he laughed. “They’re the big shots. At least around here.” 

The man was now looking from one to the other, and settled back on Jason. “The bride-to-be is already in town. Her bachelorette party is tonight.” 

“What do I say to this?” Jason asked Harry. 

“Beats me. Shall I just-?” He trailed off, but Jason shook his head quickly as if he knew exactly what Harry was thinking about. He noticed the man tensed when he trailed off. 

“Okay, whatever, but we are not guests of the Summerlands, we are not the Summerlands. I haven’t seen Keith Summerland in a lot of years now.” 

“Whatever you say.” 

“Parrain, maybe you’re not speaking English enough for him?” Teddy suggested, causing the man to glare at Teddy. 

Harry’s eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses. “Perhaps we’re not. Jason, did we change languages?” 

“I don’t think so. But you have to know Keith to understand the man’s problem. It would be like him to come in a day earlier with another woman. He’d probably bring a stripper in personally just to fuck with everyone,” Jason admitted. 

“I’m not a woman.” Harry pointed out with a hint of sarcasm. 

“No you’re not Lupa.” Jason chuckled. “Definitely not.” 

“So, this guy is just an arse?” 

“Yep.” 

“Do you really look that much like him?” 

“Yes,” he said, flat and unhappy. “I look enough like them both to make this visit even harder. The media will be all over this wedding.” 

“What’s the big deal? So they have money.” Harry was betting he and Jean had way more money than either of them. Jean-Claude was a multi-billionaire, but he only claimed to be a multi-millionaire out of safety. Six hundred years was quite a long time to rack up a few fortunes after all, and while Harry wasn’t a billionaire, he was pretty damn wealthy. And now that most of his inherited properties were renovated and being used by most preternaturals, he had a good supply of money coming in on top of his Animating career. 

“You know the governor that they’re thinking about running for president is this Summerland, right?” 

“Oh…” He’d heard about that. But he hardly paid attention to news and media unless it was preternaturally related. 

“If his eldest son is getting married this week, the media are going to be everywhere, and I look like his twin. We were always getting confused for each other in high school.” 

“Like Stephen and Gregory look alike?” 

“Yup. He pretended to be me on a date with my girlfriend. She caught on, eventually. He took a beating for me once from some of the guys at school. I’d smarted off and they found him first. He also hit on one of my male dates, thinking he was being clever. Pretending to be me.” 

“And let me guess, he got his arse kicked?” 

“Yup,” he said looking satisfied at the memory. 

Harry noticed that the well dressed man had stopped moving now, he was close-by not too close for the average person to overhear them, and that was because the man with the clipboard walked away and another took his place before they could get a move on and out of this weird situation. 

Harry knew instantly when his Edward-senses tingled that this man was a troublesome thug. Pete poked his head out to ask them about the return schedule but he stopped when he noticed the man, and drew back to watch. While Pete wasn’t ever on guard rotation, he could help defend against humans without problem. 

He wore a well tailored conservative suit, and he was built like an ox. Harry could see the bulge on his hip. Harry instinctively moved in front of Jason, and slipped Teddy further behind Jason to cut him off. The conservative thug didn’t even look at Harry as he looked over his head at Jason. 

“The boy toy gets back on the plane.”

Harry’s eyes narrowed. “You want to try that again, sir?” 

“I don’t have anything to say to you. Please, Keith, don’t do this shit. Not now,” said the man. 

“I am not Keith Summerland, for fuck’s sake,” Jason scowled. “Do I have to prove it?” 

“Keith, stuff like this isn’t funny anymore.” 

“Do you want to see my driver’s license?” 

The man finally looked puzzled. “What?” 

“Call up the damn governor, his wife, or even Kelsey, tell them that Jason Schuyler is just trying to visit his damn family, and you won't let us leave the airport.” 

The muscleman looked at Jason. “Keith, I thought this shit was over with?” 

Jason pulled out his wallet, and flashed his ID. “I got confused with them both in high school, too,” he said bitterly. 

“Merlin,” Harry could only breath. He kept in front of Jason as the younger man slipped the ID around his arm. 

The man took it, and looked like he was really studying it. He looked around Harry at Jason, then got a small flip phone out of his outer jacket pocket. “This is Chuck, I’d swear it’s Keith. But I’m looking at an ID for a Jason Schuyler,” he said, and a lot of random ‘uh-huhs’ began before he closed the phone and handed Jason’s ID back. “I’m sorry about this, Mr. Schuyler. The governor says he’s very sorry about your father’s illness.” 

“I’m not,” said Jason with a grin. “He’s dying of cancer and hopefully miserable for it.” 

Chuck had a strange expression on his face, like Jason had thrown him off. 

“Now, if you can leave us be…” said Harry. It made Harry wonder how good his spatial awareness was that he didn’t even notice the jet’s emblem on the side. It was written in large perfect brushstrokes,  _ JC Corp _ . Big black letters. It was hard to miss. 

“Maybe we should turn back around? Perhaps this is a sign that seeing him is just a waste of time,” said Jason with a low wolf like growl. “This wedding and the media are going to make things a hundred times worse. You don’t need that, and I don’t want it.” 

Harry stepped back instead of turning around, and placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “It’s your call.” But he needed to calm down. He squeezed the shoulder to tell him this, and Jason nodded slowly at him. 

“I know.” 

“I am truly sorry for the misunderstanding, Mr. Schuyler. We have limos waiting for the guests to arrive; if we can drop you anywhere to make up for the difficulties, just say the word. The limos have dark glass, and we’ve had lots of the bride’s friends arriving. The media has stopped hounding the limos, because the interviews all sound the same.” 

_ No way _ , Harry thought, and looked at Jason who was grimacing. “Shit, if I do that I’ll be killed,” Jason muttered, and no doubt he was thinking that Edward would kill him. Jason might not notice much, but he knew that this Chuck wasn’t good news. “No. Even if it becomes a circus, I can’t accept that.” 

“Jason, go tell Pete we’re staying for the night at least, and tell him to stick around and be on call for immediate flyout.” Jason looked relieved to be getting away. 

“I’ll go with you!” Teddy quickly caught up as Jason took his hand. 

“It would be best if you take one of the limos offered,” said Chuck. 

_ No apology? _ Harry wondered never taking his eyes off the man. “No thanks. Let them think what they wish of the Summerlands and us.” 

That was when the well dressed man finally approached. Harry had been more than aware of him this whole time, and Chuck only noticed when the shadow on the ground covered him. His large body stiffened. 

“Is there a problem here?” 

“Not sure yet, Officer.” Harry wagered a guess he was correct on the man’s occupation. He’d worked with enough cops, plain clothes or not, to know when one was standing before him. 

He was a good looking man. A strong jaw, olive skin, dark set eyes with wavy dark hair short on the sides and in the back but slightly full on top. He looked around thirty, and had a prominent nose that on some faces would be too big. But he wore it well. 

His brow rose, and then he smiled. “You’re good. I’m Detective Logan Winters.” He held out his large hand to Harry. 

“Federal Marshall Harry Potter-Black,” said Harry, taking his hand in a firm shake. It was warm, and something about him seemed… familiar, but not. Odd. 

“The Marshall Potter-Black? It’s nice to meet you.” 

“You too, Detective.” 

“Logan, please.” 

“Then please call me Harry.” 

“There is nothing wrong here, Detective. You can be on your way now,” said Chuck. 

“I don’t think I need to. I figured there would be an uproar around here with so many guests coming in. So I thought I’d hang around, see if anyone needed a hand.” 

“Unnecessary,” said Chuck. 

“Actually, it might be necessary if we could borrow you? You see, I just can’t agree to get into a limo with a strange man. I do have a ten year old boy after all,” he said dryly making Chuck look as if he’d swallowed a lemon. 

“How about I ride with you? It would give you better coverage,” said Logan. “It might cause an uproar if you take a taxi and they notice.” He chose at that moment to hand Harry his detective badge. 

He looked at it for a moment, but already knew that he was more than legit if the look on Chuck’s face was anything to go by. “Of course,” he said stiffly. 

Harry beamed. “Excellent!” 

Jason and Teddy returned, and was Harry being deceived or was Jason’s face turning slightly red? “Who is this?” asked Jason. “Not another…” 

“He’s a detective,” Harry explained. “He’s going to ride with Chuck to take us to the hotel so that a big stink doesn’t get raised with you being a look-a-like for this Keith person. It’ll give us coverage, and get us to the hotel promptly.” 

Jason chuckled softly. “You have all the luck.” He left the word Lupa out this time. 

“I’m Teddy!” said Teddy with a smile. Chuck didn’t blink but Logan smiled widely. 

“I’m Detective Logan Winters. It’s nice to meet you, Teddy.” 

“My Parrain is a Federal Marshall!” he said proudly. “So is my Dad.” 

“You sound proud of them.” 

“I am. I’m proud of everyone.” 

“Logan, this is Jason Schuyler,” Harry said, pulling Jason closer to him when he noticed that Jason had gone a bit quiet. Shy. It wasn’t his usual state of being. “Jason, this is Logan Winters.” 

“Nice to meet you,” said Jason, naturally averting his gaze. 

Logan smiled. “Same to you, Mr. Schuyler. Shall we try to make the rest of your visit as comfortable as possible?” 

“If only that was possible. If Lu- Harry can’t, no one can.” 

“I’m not superman,” Harry huffed. 

“Close enough, Parrain,” Teddy teased. 

“I don’t think I’d look right in tights with underwear on the outside.” 

Jason burst out laughing, and Logan chuckled quietly. Chuck was looking pissed all to hell. He was stuck. He’d been ordered by the governor to offer them a ride, and he couldn’t say no to a detective joining without looking bad. It was perfect. 

“I think with the way Père dresses you, you’d be better as cat-woman.” Jason’s laughter got louder, and Harry’s face turned red. “And I say that because I know I can get away with it. Hah!” 

“I’m speechless.” Harry deadpanned, and that only made Logan smile wider. 

And so with that decided Harry, Teddy, and Jason agreed to the limo. He probably should have been more Edward-like and questioned this Logan Winters, but Harry had a good feeling about him, and this wasn’t about him today. It was about Jason, and trying to make his life as easy as he could.


	3. Chapter Three

No surprise that their hotel was the exact same place that the wedding guests were staying at. Of course it was, it was the best after all, and Jean-Claude would never let his pomme or human servant stay in a hotel that was mediocre. 

Logan was cheerful as he opened the side door for them instead of Chuck who was glaring at the back of Logan’s head. It had not been in the plans after all to include a detective. 

Jason rubbed at his forehead and brought the sunglasses up to rest on top of his head. Harry mimicked him, and soon so did Teddy who sat opposite of them with a big smile on his face. 

“It’s not even been ten minutes and I’m exhausted,” said Jason with a slump. 

Harry wrapped his arm around Jason now that they were secluded in the back. A black window behind Teddy’s head was up, so Jason snuggled into his arms and Harry stroked him. He tried to think of something that would help distract Jason. “So, I notice you staring at the detective.” 

Jason squeaked in a rather Draco sort of way. “I was not…” 

“Bashful. Jason Schuyler doesn’t do bashful.” 

“Shut up. He’s hot, how can I not?” 

“Well, you could flirt with him. You’re good at that.” 

“Flirt with him? For some weird reason I got a boner just looking at him from across the runway,” Jason whispered. 

“Is it that unusual?” 

Jason brought his shoulders up. “No, but…” He shook his head and laughed. “You’re trying to distract me Lupa.” 

“Yep. Is it working?” 

“For now. But, Lupa, you have to have all the luck. I swear if it had just been me, no cop or anyone would be here. I’d have been hung out to dry pretending to be Keith Summerland.” 

“Well, you’re not alone. I’m your Lupa, we’re your real family. So you better never forget that.” He kissed Jason’s temple. “Isn’t that right Teddy?” 

“Heck yes!” said Teddy. 

“Least he stopped saying hell yes,” Harry muttered as Jason snickered into his shoulder. 

“Besides, if anyone was going to be getting with the hot detective, it’s going to be you,” said Jason, causing Teddy to giggle and Harry to squawk. 

“Wha-? Why me?” 

“Everyone wants you of course. You have the same allure as Jean-Claude. Plus you’re sweet, and everyone just loves you.” 

“You’re insane,” Harry huffed. “Besides, after your Ulfric left us and me with hundreds of wolves, I’m definitely not looking to add anyone new in my life. No way, no how. I’m doing my best to resist Haven as it is. If there is a person out there that can make you shy and bashful, then maybe it’s worth taking a second look at, hm?” 

Jason shook his head. “No. Promise is the last place I would ever look for someone in. I’ve gone through all the women and most of the men my age. I don’t think there’s anyone left.”

“If you say so.” 

Teddy enjoyed looking out the window, and Harry had to admit it was a beautiful view. There were wooded mountains rolling deeply out into the expanse of the horizon. 

“It’s so pretty!” Teddy squealed. 

“Yeah,” said Jason. “I guess.” 

“You guess?” Teddy asked. “Why don’t you find it pretty? Because the place’s people aren't pretty?” 

“Exactly. Bad memories.” 

“Well, then Parrain and I have to make sure you have good memories here. At least a few?” 

Jason chuckled. “It wasn’t all bad I guess. I mean, I loved my friends and the dance classes. Just the town itself, bittersweet.” There were hotels and fast food places tucked near the road, but it wasn’t close enough to ruin the view. A river cut along the left-hand side of the road, all silver shallows and sparkling rapids, set in a lot of green with hundreds of trees.

“It’s prettier than the smoky mountains in Tennessee,” Harry acknowledged. 

“Well, it is the Blue Ridge Mountains,” said Jason. “How’s that tiger of yours doing?” 

“She’s silent,” said Harry. 

“She? So, she is a she too?” 

Harry grumbled. “Yeah,  _ she _ .” 

Jason chuckled at him. “You do know you need to one day find a wolf for your wolf right? Especially if Marcus doesn’t come back…” he winced when Harry’s face fell. “Sorry, Lupa.” 

“It’s okay. It’s nothing you did.” 

“You didn’t do anything either. It was him.” 

“Not exactly. Not everyone can embrace polyamory.” 

“He didn’t give a damn about Raina who fucked everyone under the sun and in the same fucking, she ripped them apart… sorry Teddy.” 

“It’s okay,” said Teddy. “It’s why Parrain is Lupa after all. To keep those types away from us.” 

Jason smiled. “You’re right. You, Lupa are with those you love and care about. You love them, and they love you back. She was cruel and bloodthirsty. You were like a ray of light beneath the darkest part of the sea, and when he was with Raina he didn’t give a damn about us. It was you who made him better. You who made him a good Ulfric.” Jason scowled. “Our pack was happy and perfect, and then he had to go and mess it up.” 

“I think it was the fear of his age. I don’t look my age, Jason. He’s starting to look his. He had a problem with it.” 

Jason snorted. “I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many men like them younger. He’s just an ass.” 

“You shouldn’t say that about Marcus,” said Harry. “He may not be your Ulfric any longer, but he does deserve your respect.” 

Jason bowed his head. “Sorry, but it is true. Even Jamil thinks he’s an idiot, and he was the one the most uncomfortable. But, I think he was uncomfortable because he reacts around you, Lupa, and he doesn’t like it.” 

“Straight men generally don’t.” 

“Who is really straight these days?” 

“Requiem.” 

“Not when it comes to you.” 

“Let’s not start that again.” 

“I’m saying everyone is open to fluidness if they let themselves,” said Jason. 

“I think that’s called pansexual, where you’re gender blind.” Harry was sure that’s what his leopards called it. Nathaniel claimed to be one, and really most of the leopards were blind to gender. 

Jason grinned. “Yeah, I suppose that’s what I am.” 

“I probably could have been once upon a time,” said Harry with a tilt of his head. “But, I am as gay as the day is long. I just can’t look at a woman and be attracted.” 

“Maybe it has something to do with all the beasts in you? You’re a Lupa, Regina, Nimir-Ra, and now you’re a… what’s the tiger version?” 

“I think Christine said Chiang or Chang?” Harry brought his shoulders up. “Not a clue.” After Soledad and the Mother of Darkness’ attacks Harry collected the tiger deep inside his soul. He didn’t feel her stirring around often. She was quiet and seemed content to be left alone, and it was her content disposition that helped to simmer down the others. Although the lioness still gave him issue every so often. His wolf these days acted more like she was wounded, had retreated deep into his soul, and she would only come out when someone needed her. 

“And it’s not just a name. I mean there have been male Lupa’s and female Ulfric. Not many, but there are recorded ones. Your shifters smell and even taste female.” 

“I’m aware,” Harry sulked. 

Jason chuckled. “I think it’s awesome. It kind of helps with my belief that gender and sexuality is fluid, you know? It sort of holds evidence that if we closed our eyes and allowed ourselves to let go of the roles then there would be no difference.” 

The scenery stayed all mountains and hills, and the green of the evergreens were eye-catching. The limo turned off the highway and onto Charlotte Street, and Harry could feel that they were in small-town America. Not a single building too tall or wide, nothing too overly built, and a lot of houses and small businesses among the trees. 

“Oh hey! There’s the dance studio!” It was the first time Harry heard excitement in his voice. There was a sign with a silhouette of a ballet dancer outside one of the larger homes. Two little girls in leotards were being led inside by a laughing woman. He sighed. “I wish we could stop. I’d like to see my old teachers again.” 

“I wouldn’t mind trying dance,” said Teddy looking out the window. 

Jason grinned. “You’re a good dancer!” 

Teddy giggled. “It’s fun to watch you guys dancing.” 

“If you want to take dance classes Teddy all you have to do is tell us,” said Harry. “Maybe Jason can help research some studios in St. Louis?” 

Jason's grin turned into a smile of delight. “I’d love to!” 

“But, I’m going away next year to school. I’ll be gone all the time,” said Teddy with a hint of sadness. 

Harry shook his head. He leaned forward and lifted Teddy’s chin and gave him a sweet kiss on the nose. “There’s the weekends, remember? You get weekends and holidays off, and can come home for each one.” 

Teddy perked back up. “Yeah, you’re right.” 

“Besides, I couldn’t imagine you going away from me for too long, Teddy Bear. Do you really think your Dad would let you leave all year without a word? Or even your Père and Papa?” 

Teddy laughed some more. “No way! He’d come breaking into the school guns slinging. Père would charm the entire school, and Papa would just… well… he’d kidnap me for sure.”

“Exactly. Besides you have a house full of shifters who need your endless cuddling.” Teddy preened and puffed up at this. 

“Perhaps if we get a moment’s peace before leaving we can stop in?” Harry suggested. 

He nodded and pointed at a small grocery sitting just doors down from the studio. “I would have thought Sigliers would have gone out of business. I got my first cigarettes there.” 

“You don’t smell like smoke,” Teddy chirped. 

Jason laughed. “Not anymore. But you know, being a rebellious kid, and trying it at least once or twice?” 

“Don’t encourage him.” Teddy and Jason both laughed, and tried to control how loud it was so that no one rolled the window down in question. 

“I’d never smoke because it smells horrible.” 

“You didn’t try it?” Jason asked with a sparkle eyed smile. 

“I didn’t have time to try smoking. I think I remember my cousin did though,” said Harry. “My act of rebellion was blowing up my aunt like a balloon when I was thirteen and running away from Privet Drive. Short lived running away. Being me, running was like throwing a spotlight on the obvious.” He shook his head. “Oh, and sneaking into the forbidden forest.” 

“Heh, I remember the forbidden forest when you took all of us,” said Jason grinning. “You let me fuck you shifted.” 

“Yeah I did.” 

“It still shocks me that you were a virgin before Jean-Claude to be honest with you,” said Jason. “I mean, you were twenty-four when you had sex for the first time.”

“You saw my life, how was I able to fit something like sex in it? I was running to every disaster, and my world was quite isolated.” 

“But, you’re hot! You’re fucking smoking, Lupa! And sex with you is mindblowing!” 

Harry’s face turned a great shade of red. His blood pressure shot up higher and higher making both Teddy and Jason snicker at him. “I used to be too skinny, too short, and I had glasses that were round and taped up. I assure you, Jason I was not winning any awards for best smile in my world. I was the scraggy boy with hand-me-downs.” 

“I’d have fucked you,” said Jason. 

Harry shook his head as Teddy laughed at his expense. “I probably would have ran from you in fear.” 

“From me?” Jason mock gasped. “You wouldn’t! I’d give you my perfect stripper smile, and then seduce you, Lupa!” 

“How old can I be to have sex?” Teddy wondered, causing Harry to squeak and turn to the boy who was staring curiously. 

Jason grinned. “I leave that one to you, Lupa.” 

Harry’s mouth floundered. “What?” Surely, he hadn’t heard that right. 

“Well, how old can I be?” Teddy asked logically. 

“Uhm… maybe this is a discussion we should have with all your father’s present?” Harry asked, his heart pounding. “A question like that takes time to answer,” he said breathlessly. 

“Why? How old were you Jason?” 

“Erm… am I allowed to answer Lupa?” 

Harry grumbled. “If he’s asking, answer it.” He would not be a hypocrite. 

“I was fourteen, but I don’t recommend that,” said Jason. 

“Why not?” 

“Because you don’t know what you’re doing, and sometimes you can hurt yourself or your partner.” 

Harry relaxed as Teddy nodded. “Oh - yeah I can see where you could accidentally hurt yourself. I mean I’ve seen you guys in funny positions.” 

Harry slumped as Jason’s shoulders shook with unrestrained quiet laughter. He leaned forward to bury his face into his own knees. “I’m so sorry, Teddy. I guess the promise of honesty is really biting me in the arse.” 

“That’s not honesty’s job. Papa will be upset if it takes too big of a bite, and Dad will be mad that he doesn’t get to watch, and Père will pout about how it’s supposed to be him who gets to bite you.” 

“Cheeky,” Harry shook his head, but he was smiling. 

Teddy was at that age, and he was glowing with pride and happiness. So carefree and cheerful. He asked questions, expected answers, and he did try to think as logically as a ten year old would allow. Even if the questions were red inducing. Harry would never stop his curiosity. “You’re brilliant, you know that?” Harry leaned forward again and pressed his nose to Teddy’s. 

“I know, you wouldn’t know what to do without me Parrain.” He kissed Harry sweetly on the lips. 

“Got that right.” 

Jason was smiling and it reached into his eyes making them sparkle. It was the kind of smile that would easily part women and a good amount of men of their money at the club. If they thought his fake smile was something, they should have the full weight of the real deal. It was enough to turn anyone’s head.

He pulled back and looked at Jason. “I love your smile, the real one.” He played in Jason’s well groomed hair and stroked down his ear. 

“You’re going to make a boy blush,” Jason beamed. “But I doubt it’s as pretty as your blush.” 

“Shut up.” Harry nudged him only for Jason to react by playfully pinning him to the seat and kissing him with the full weight of his natural sexual charisma. 

It caused things inside to stir, his hormones began to hum and burn, and he sank into the kiss that Jason offered. 

“You know, I don’t have anywhere to go if you two have sex right now,” Teddy warned causing Harry to make a noise and Jason to snicker against him. 

“We’re not going to do that, Teddy. I think you’ve got sex on the brain,” Jason teased. 

“How can I not? I feel puberty coming on, and being a wolf is doubly hard,” Teddy said with a cross-armed pout. 

“I’m sorry baby.” 

“It’s not your fault. But I’m starting to feel weird things these days.” 

“We can talk about them if you like.” They had talked a lot about puberty and what to expect, especially with his full moon shifting. His shifting was still on the spotty side. Some months he would fully turn, other times he would only sprout ears, tail, and longer teeth. But maybe they needed to stop talking about the facts, and start talking about Teddy’s feelings. 

“Okay, maybe later. For now we have to support Jason. I don’t have time for hormones,” he said sagely. 

Jason glomped Teddy in a hug making Harry lean back and watch as the two giggled and rolled around. Who cared if the suit got wrinkled? He was smiling and happy. 

oOo

The narrow twisting road was edged by evergreens and other trees. There were still a few nice older houses, and some newer expensive ones dotted along the road, but mostly it was trees. It was obvious that they were climbing out of the valley that most of Asheville sat in. 

The first hint that they had that the hotel was ahead was the cluster of news vans blocking the road. The curving drive that led between the trees and the vans was being kept clear by men in uniform. Not police uniforms, but really nice valet uniforms. They kept the photographers, reporters, and cameramen at bay long enough for the limo to slip by. 

“Shit,” Jason was leaning over Harry’s seat to look out at them. 

“Do you want me to use magic to hide us?” 

Jason shook his head. “No. I’m not hiding.” 

“Okay. Just say the word.” 

Jason nodded and rubbed his nose along Harry’s shoulder as if he was trying to get some of his smell on him. Harry knew that for most shifters, scent was a comfort or a strain, and Harry being his Lupa would be a comfort. So Harry curled an arm around him and rubbed his forearm up and down Jason’s back. 

The gently curving driveway spilled out amongst yet more trees, and there sat Grove Park Inn beyond it. The setting in the hills was lovely, Harry had no doubt about that. But the building helped make it even more beautiful. It was all stone and kind of Bavarian. Hogsmeade had quite a few of those. The inn looked like it had sprung up from the rocks and trees around it, perfect in its setting, organic and right. 

“I’ve loved this place since my parents brought us here for Mother’s Day when I was seven,” Jason told him. “Jean-Claude let me pay for it myself, but he made the reservation for us.” 

“I see why we’re staying here. It’s beautiful,” said Harry. 

“Looks like it belongs in Hogsmeade,” said Teddy. 

That was when the window between them and Chuck and Logan started whirring down. Chuck turned and said. “You saw the media out front. There is no way they will let you explain, or believe, who you really are. If you go in there, it will be all over the news that Keith Summerland is cheating on his fiancé days before the wedding.” 

Harry was very tempted to say.  _ ‘So what?’ _ He looked at Jason whose face had gone into neutral. “What do you think, Detective?” Harry asked instead. 

Logan tilted his head. “Your call.” 

“You should change hotels,” said Chuck over top of them. “We’d cover the cost for your stay as long as you are in town.” 

“I can pay for my own hotel,” said Jason. 

“I can see that, but you see the problem from our end, right?” 

“Does it really matter? I am a guy after all. I’m not some woman.” 

“The Governor is running under Republican,” Jason murmured. “It won’t matter, they’ll come up with anything and everything they can.” 

“Probably why I hardly recognized his name. I don’t pay much attention to that rubbish,” said Harry. 

“Look, how about if we drive you to the hospital? We’ll wait outside. You visit with your dad, and we’ll drive you back to the airport. That way there’s no confusion with the media.” 

The limo had stopped a little short of the front of the building, where more well dressed valets waited. 

“You don’t have any rights to tell them to get out of town,” said Logan sharply. 

Harry saw Chuck’s jaw tighten. “I’m not saying that,” he said stiffly. 

Harry waited for Jason to say what he wanted, and finally Jason shook his head. “No. I’m sorry; tell the governor that I don't want to be a problem. But, I haven’t seen this bastard in three years. We are estranged, that’s why he wouldn’t tell me sooner. Now he has weeks to live. I’m not going to let the Summerlands mentally mind fuck me like they did in school,” Jason growled in an almost bestial way shocking Chuck slightly. Harry placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “He’s a fucking bastard,” He breathed softly. “But I gotta see him, and I doubt it’s going to take more than one visit to finish.” 

“Not to mention we might have to go to a funeral,” said Teddy. “It would be rude to leave.” 

“You’re right kiddo, it would be,” Logan agreed. 

“And we’re not changing hotels. Jason’s earned his right to be here.” 

Jason nodded. “Talk to your publicist, try to figure out a way to do damage control that doesn’t include me being hidden away at some cheap motel.” 

“You could stay with your family.” 

“No.” 

Harry noticed the moment that Chuck’s eyes hardened, and Harry knew that he had now placed Jason in the problem box that he’d be thinking about cleaning up. Harry dared him. He’d be dead before he could draw that itty-bitty teeny-weeny gun. 

Harry noticed that Logan was casually watching Chuck. 

Harry had to snap his fingers twice to get Chuck’s attention making him blink the hidden violence away. “Let’s be very clear with each other, we will do our best to stay out of your hair and this wedding. But we are not leaving, and it is not Jason’s fault what he does or doesn’t look like. So why don’t you do your job and figure out how to avoid the scandal. We’re not the ones being paid to do that.” 

Chuck’s stare was like daggers, but Harry knew how to freeze daggers and bend them. He gave the man a look of, ‘not impressed.’ 

“You are going to give them fodder to trash Governor Summerland’s family in the media. Do you really want to bring your kid out in this shit-storm?” 

“He can manage just fine,” said Harry. 

“Does he answer for you, Mr. Schuyler?” 

“If he wants to,” said Jason. 

Chuck seemed to finally notice Logan staring at him. No expression on his face, not even a glint in his eyes. It was unsettling for anyone under the stare. A really good one. Edward would have been almost impressed. Harry’s respect went up for the detective. 

“Fine, we’ll drop you off in the parking garage, that should slow the media.” 

Chuck turned back to the steering wheel, and he drove passed the entrance and glided into the dimness of the parking garage. There were armed security guards making sure that no one got back there who wasn’t supposed to be there. 

Harry had refused to let anyone put their bags in the back. Harry took Teddy and Jason’s bag, and he condensed it all into one before placing it onto his weak shoulder. 

It was Logan who opened their door to let them out. Harry slipped out first, followed by Teddy who took his hand, and finally Jason. 

“I thought you had three bags?” Chuck asked. 

“Indeed,” said Harry. 

“Shall I take that and escort you?” Logan asked with a real smile. 

“Please,” said Harry. It would give him hands free if he had to kill Chuck. He shifted so that Chuck was never at his back. 

“Don’t do anything stupid together to make the Summerlands look bad,” Chuck warned coolly, and Harry saw a devious angry glint flash through Jason’s eyes making them a deeper and darker shade of blue. It held the promise of revenge. 

One of the uniformed security came close and whispered something to Chuck. “Shit,” he said. 

Logan’s eyes darted over to a figure crouched between two midsize cars. He had a camera with a huge lens on it. He saw the man before Chuck did. 

“Photographer, I thought we were paying you guys to make sure this didn’t happen!” Chuck growled. The security man shrugged helplessly as Jason followed their line of sight. 

Before Harry asked if Jason wanted him to fry the camera remotely, Jason’s fingers seized his wrist and drew him into his chest, and Harry just knew what he was planning. “You sure?” 

“No.” He said it just as he kissed Harry. He didn’t do it for sex or because he meant to. He did it because he knew it would cause trouble. 

Chuck quickly shielded them from the camera with his broad back. To the unfamiliar guards he said, “Get that camera!” To Jason, he asked, “Why?” 

“I don’t like being told what to do.” 

“Now you do sound like Keith.” 

“You have no idea how much like Keith I can be.” 

“I don’t need the two of you fucking this week up, Schuyler!” 

Logan cleared his throat at Chuck. “Careful there, borderline threatening. I’d hate to have to act against one of the Governor’s men. The media wouldn’t like it,” he said carefully. 

Chuck’s eyes creased, and Harry could see the pulse in his neck. Jason cocked his head. “I am not one of the Summerlands, Chuck. You don’t get paid to boss me around, so don’t even try. I’m also on the verge of not giving a shit so let’s see how much longer we can go before I do it again.” 

Harry saw as they headed out of the garage toward the back entrance of the hotel that Chuck’s hands were flexing slowly at his sides. Logan quickly took up Harry’s other side. The photographer had gone running toward the sunlight with the guards in pursuit. Harry noticed how fast he happened to be, and tilted his head thoughtfully. 

“Interesting.” 

“What?” Logan asked. 

Harry smiled sweetly at him. “Nothing. You okay, Teddy?” He asked as Teddy moved between him and Logan so that Jason could lace his fingers with Harry. 

“Yup! Just enjoying the show,” said Teddy cheerfully as Logan chuckled quietly. 

“Quite a kid you have there.” 

“The best,” said Harry. 

It took a good twenty minutes to convince the staff that Jason was not a Summerland, and even then they kept making the mistake. It was insane! Jason got a lot of overly familiar looks from several of the staff, male and female. One even tried to give him a note as they made toward the elevator. 

Logan took them straight to their room, and then handed Harry his card. “If you need anything please, let me know if I can help.” 

“Thank you sir,” said Harry as he tipped the bellperson well, and soon the three of them were alone behind the door with Jason leaning against it tiredly. 

The room was big with two different conversation areas complete with couches and chairs. There were large windows letting in sunshine and a view of the mountains. There was even a four-seat table near one set of windows so that one could eat and look out at the view. Big and roomy. 

The decor colors were interesting, the couches and chairs were all deep purple and red, but their shapes were vaguely organic. The drapes were heavy as if the sunlight were fighting to get through, and there were paintings everywhere on the walls. Most of them were modern art. Something like what Jean-Claude would own, and Harry had a couple pieces himself. Harry preferred landscapes and animals. Lively magical portraits just lost their charm after a while. But, the art was strange as it was plastered on the wall like wallpaper.

“Bizarre.” 

“Cool!” Teddy ran through the room and spun around. “It’s neat in here!” 

“They call it the Gallery,” said Jason. “It was either this or the Swinging 60s. It’s painted completely in pink.” 

Harry blinked. “Pink?” 

“Pink.” 

“Lovely room.” 

“Thank you!” he bowed. 

Teddy went to look all around, there was an extra large king size bed around the corner that would be more than fitting for the three of them, and there was one of those long old fashioned fainting sofas near it. Harry had two of those in the house, and Jean-Claude had a few himself. Harry liked them. He sank down on it as he dropped their bags. “You want to explain the uproar?” 

“I know it was stupid,” said Jason rubbing the back of his head. “I couldn’t help it. It was petty.” 

“I don’t mind, Jason. Just want to know what you’re thinking. So I can play in tune with you. You did it to piss off Chuck, but it’s more than that. Is this a fuck you to Summerland?” 

“Sort of,” Jason laughed and sank down. “I can never hide anything from you can I? My mischief. You always catch it.” 

“For seventeen years I was nothing but mischievous, and it runs in my family. My father was known as a Marauder in school, along with Teddy’s dad and my godfather. All pranksters and troublemakers. So, there’s not much you can do that will escape me.” 

Jason smiled weakly as he loosened his tie. “Summerlands moved away from here when he became governor. I didn’t know they’d come back here for the wedding. It must be a local girl. God, I pity her.” 

“I imagine, with the way I saw it. If he was likely to cheat, why not just expose it now and save the poor girl the trouble?” 

Jason looked at him. “You don’t see it do you?” 

“What?” 

“It’s a money thing.” 

“Money.” 

“Some like that, you know, marriage for money.” He glided his hand down Harry’s arm and lifted his wrist to look at the shining ring. “Not everyone gets engaged for love, Lupa.” He placed his hand over top of Harry’s. 

“They should.” Harry knew there was a huge difference between cheating and polyamory. First, polyamory was not for everyone, and second it took trust. Relationships were hard enough with one on one, but adding more than a couple made it twice as hard and then you add a third and double that again. It took work. A lot of commitment and compromise. 

Complete and utter trust of each other and their partners was the most important and without trust and mutual understanding there was nothing to work from. It had to be natural and not be something for a kink. He and his men had sat down and talked about things for hours, days, and even months. Dr. Lillian helped by insisting on a few group counseling sessions. Even now they were still in constant communication. All of them discussed what they liked and didn’t like, and what they approved of or didn’t because not everyone could be with each other to make decisions. Harry knew that he was the most vulnerable emotionally, but Micah was the second. Jean-Claude and Edward were much different to Micah and Harry. Both of them processed their feelings in a similar way. 

Harry and Jean-Claude had to feed their ardeur, and they couldn’t always feed off their lovers without risking their death. Feeding off of each other didn’t really work. It felt good, but they’d cancel each other out. 

Harry’s one confession had been he wasn’t comfortable with women being in the mix. He admitted sadly that it had hurt when Marcus chose a woman because that meant that Harry lacked something that could make Marcus happy. All of them agreed that no women were to ever be involved. Jean-Claude and his men spent a lot of time after he confessed that paying special attention to his body. 

Micah liked that they all had to agree before ever adding anyone in, and the rest agreed to that. But what happened if Harry was alone and in need? He didn’t have Jean-Claude’s six hundred years of control. Also the random times his beasts decided to act against his human will. Harry could make his own decision, and they would honor and trust him, and the same could be said for Jean-Claude. Edward and Micah had no desire to be with anyone else unless they were all in a group together to have fun. Sex and love were two different things after all, and in a relationship like theirs it had to be. 

“Not everyone is a good person like you, Lupa. Keith looks a lot like me, and I clean up well, but he’s rich and his dad’s rich. There always seem to be women who want to be close to rich men. Some men are like that too, but it’s not as prominent. The issue is, now his dad is governor and about to make a run for president. I think that’s adding to the Summerland appeal.” He sighed and pet Harry’s left hand. “I should not have posed for cameras like that. That was childish, but the twins were the bane of my childhood. We were always getting mistaken for each other, by teachers, girls, guys, strangers. Keith would deliberately do shit and get me blamed. He did the same thing to his brother, too, so I wasn’t so special there.” 

“Kelsey, right?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Is the brother any nicer?” 

“Kelsey was in some of the plays with me. He was quieter, a little shy. As awkward with the girls as Keith was smooth.” 

“Sounds like you’d have liked him.” 

“I would have, if he hadn’t been a Summerland and Keith’s brother. You couldn’t be friends with Kelsey unless Keith allowed it, and he hated me.” 

Harry closed his eyes. “Merlin, that’s familiar.” 

“Is it?” 

“When I was in primary school before I went to Hogwarts. My cousin was a big fat bully, and I was the scrawny kid with taped up glasses and clothes too big for my body. No one came near me because he would chase them off.” 

“Wow, that is similar. But, mine are a little more devious.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I got a few girls who had turned him down. I mean they turned him down, then slept with me, Lupa, think about that.” 

“The few who didn’t care about his money and saw how horrible he was?” 

“Exactly. And all his daddy’s money couldn’t buy him the girls who knew what he really was.” Jason got up and went to the mirror, and began to straighten his tie. “I went to college in St. Louis, and he stayed near the state capital. But, I heard rumors that he had a couple of date-rape charges. Dropped, never saw court. But I’d believe date rape for Keith. He never took no very well. He claimed hetero, but he would fuck a guy. He’s been caught and blamed it on me.”

“That’s why you kissed me! If he sees it, it’ll remind him of the rubbish he did to you?” 

Jason grinned. “Yup. And because they’re running conservative it’s no surprise they are rushing to get him married off.” 

“Marriage isn’t a cure all.” 

“Nothing cures you of being a bastard.” 

“Not true, death does.” 

Jason laughed, and turned. “Yeah, that it does. I guess at least my dad has that to look forward to.” His face dropped off into a neutral expression. “I don’t know what to feel.” 

“Let it come to you.” 

Teddy had returned. “Are we going to the hospital now?” he asked as Harry wrapped his arms around him and drew him between his legs with a hug. “Or are we going to eat?” 

“I better go now or I might chicken out and just beg for sex from our Lupa.” 

Harry shook his head. “You had to tell him that?” 

“It’s the truth.” 

Teddy snickered. “Well, if you guys plan on fun, I’ll go into the other room and work on my throwing with the dartboard. So don’t let me stop you. If you need my Parrain to love you, he will!” 

Harry laughed and snuggled his boy. “The day my son offers me up…” 

Jason snickered, and then he turned and looked out the window. “God, it’s going to be hell out there.” 

“We can use disguises. I can cast notice-me-not charms,” said Harry raking his fingers through Teddy’s hair gently causing the boy to sigh in contentment and lean back into his chest. “I can also disguise us. I can get us there with magic, Jason.” 

Before Jason could agree or disagree there was a pounding knock on the door causing Harry and all of them to flinch. 

Harry’s wand was already in his hand as his eyes narrowed. “Under the bed,” he rose as Teddy dived beneath the bed. 

“I recognize Chuck’s scent,” said Jason sniffing the air. 

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” he said. After a thought he changed his mind and pulled his Ruger instead, double checking the rounds. He’d save the wand in case big muscle was brought in later. 

“What are you going to do?” asked Jason. “You look like Edward just now.” 

“I might shoot him, that’s what I might do. You know how when you’re dancing you profile the ladies in the crowd to know who is going to give you the best for your dance?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I profiled him earlier, and that man is clearly the Mr. Fix-It type, and right now you are the thing he needs to fix. I didn’t bring it up because you don’t deserve to deal with that. I was going to deal with it undercover if I had to.” 

Jason paled slightly. “You don’t think-?” 

“I don’t know, but I won’t let that happen.” 

“Mr. Schuyler, please answer the door,” said Chuck’s strong voice causing Harry to inch closer. 

“Why should we?” Harry called back once he got to the door and pressed his back against the wall so that if they were shot it wouldn’t hit him. He waved Jason to stand away from the door’s line of sight. He stepped just around the corner with only his head out to see and listen. 

It was quiet and he heard a female voice on the other side say something about.  _ “Get this door open! I will not have a media circus outside!” _

“How else are you going to leave this hotel without our assistance?” Chuck reasoned. 

“I have my special ways,” said Harry. “Who is with you?” 

“I am the press secretary, Phyllis Dubois, and Summerland Security.” 

“And that means something to me because-?” 

“We do not wish for hostility Mr-?” 

“I’ll open the door, but if Chuck brandishes that gun of his I won’t be responsible for what happens next.” 

“No one will be brandishing anything, now would you please open the door?” 

Harry reached for the door handle and turned the knob, and let it swing open. 

A leggy auburn haired woman stalked through in a pair of killer spiked heels and a designer suit. Her hair was sealed tightly in a bun that left her perfect makeup and overly dramatic eyes noticeable. 

She didn’t see him for a moment, nor did Chuck or the gray suit that came in. Spatial awareness was way off. He could have shot all three. 

“I’m right here,” said Harry and he purposely began to put his gun away a bit slower as the three turned, completely startled to see him standing there. Chuck was staring at the gun that seemed to disappear completely the second he blinked. 

Dubois was looking at him confused. “You-?” 

“Harry Potter-Black.” 

“How old are you?” 

“Older than Jason and the Summerland boys,” Harry assured.

Chuck was looking at him as though he were a real threat for the first time. 

“Is it safe to come out now, Parrain?” asked Teddy, peeking out from under the bed. 

“Yes, baby it is.” 

Teddy crawled out from under the bed on his belly, and Jason stepped out into the room. The woman who had been staring at the child with almost a smile was startled when she saw him. “Jesus…” 

“I am  _ not _ a Summerland,” Jason clarified coolly. 

The gray suit had hair almost the same color. Dubois shook her head. “Maybe that’s so, but you caused a media frenzy with that kiss,” she said to him. 

“Chuck pissed me off. I’m not a Summerland, and I won’t be told what to do,” said Jason. 

“As it is, you wish to get to the hospital to see your ailing father, right?” asked the gray suit. “I’m Peterson by the way.” He looked Harry up and down. “You’re familiar. I’ve seen you before.” 

“No idea where,” said Harry innocently. 

“We wish to help you so long as you don’t cause any more incidents,” said Dubois. 

Harry wanted to tell them that they could get themselves there, but Jason was already talking. “How do you plan that?” 

“We’ll get you a limo with a police escort to draw off part of the press that is hanging around for the bachelorette party tonight.” 

“Why?” Harry asked dubiously. 

“What do you expect out of me, Mr. Potter-Black? That I’m going throw you to the wolves?” 

“I love wolves, it’s the press I don’t like,” said Harry carefully. “And strangers I don’t trust. How do I know you don’t plan to use his looks to your advantage?” 

Dubois considered his question. “I suppose that’s a good question Mr. Potter-Black, but I assure you right now that is the last thing we want to do. The Governor insists on helping Mr. Schuyler get to the hospital. It is on his behalf we are here.” 

Peterson turned to Harry surprised and impressed. “I don’t think there’s any way to get you quietly to the hospital without being noticed. In fact, we should send people ahead to warn the hospital so the reporters don’t get into Mr. Schuyler’s room.” 

“Good thinking, Peterson, as always. Call our liaison at the hospital.” 

“I haven’t agreed to anything yet…” said Harry as Peterson, aka Gray Suit, took out a cellphone and went toward one side of the room for some privacy. That was when another phone sounded and Dubois got out a slim one from her pocket and started talking into it. 

Chuck turned to Harry. “You had a gun.” 

“As do you,” said Harry. 

“How old are you?” He asked the same question as Dubois. 

“Old enough.” 

Harry spent the next ten minutes asking various questions and getting details. She kept falling back on Governor Summerland as if it was a blanket of protection. Harry snorted, and before he could purposely kick them out there was a knock at the door. 

“It’s the detective,” Jason said, instantly startling the others in the room. 

Harry called it open, and Logan was standing there. “What are you doing here?” 

“I called him!” said Teddy, popping out from the side room with Harry’s cell in his hand. 

Ms. Dubois and the others stiffened at his presence. “Hello again.” 

“You called him, Teddy?” 

“Yep, I knew you wouldn’t trust these strangers, and you guys seemed to like Detective Logan so I thought I’d call him and he can be the middleman. Is that what it’s called?” 

Harry grinned. “You did good, Teddy Bear. I’m sorry sir.” 

“Not at all, not at all. I’m always here to help anyone in need. It is my job after all. Shall we?” 

“There must not be much to do for you here in Promise, Detective.” 

“You have no idea,” said Logan with a grin. 

Harry knew he shouldn’t trust on a first date, but he would take an officer of the law over these shady bastards any day. He was proud of Teddy, and soon they were all sneaking out the back into the limo where they were given a full police escort courtesy of the governor. 

Logan sat comfortably across from them, Teddy was between Harry and Jason. 

Jason hadn’t said much at all, kept shyly glancing at Logan and looking away again. Yeah, if Jason didn’t have a little crush Harry’s name wasn’t Harry. 

“Can I ask the real reason why you’re here to help us? I mean, you’re not a traffic cop. You’re a detective. You don’t have to do this, right? What is your interest in us?” Harry asked.

Jason sighed. “Lu- Harry, please don’t do this.” 

“I’m sorry Jason, but I do need an answer. I’m not going to pick at any wounds. I just want to make sure, okay? For your’s and Teddy’s safety.” 

Jason inclined his head. “Yeah…” he acknowledged. 

“It’s okay. I understand. Sometimes, it’s hard to trust, and there are times the badge doesn’t mean a thing to some people,” he said, and the way he said it was sorrowful. “Some no longer hold the shield in their hands with honor.” 

“Like the Summerlands,” said Jason. 

“I didn’t say that,” said Logan with a tight smile. But his eyes said it. “I knew you would likely hit roadblocks with your appearance, and with a child at your side that’s the last thing you need. I don’t ask you to trust me, but I ask you to let me do my job.” 

Harry considered this as Jason peaked up at Logan again. “Okay. I’ll accept that.” His gut trusted it, so he was going with it.


	4. Chapter Four

Harry had never arrived at a hospital quite like this before. It didn’t help that St. Joseph’s had a brand new trauma unit, and that trauma unit was known as the Summerland wing. Harry knew a large donation when he smelled it. 

It took them a while to get past the upper brass of the hospital who had spilled out to the sound of sirens and the limo. Peterson was in charge instead of Chuck, which was a big step up, but it was still an understandable mistake on the administration’s part. 

In the lobby, while they were trying to explain that Jason was neither of the Summerland twins, Harry saw a portrait. It was an old-fashioned painting of a man in a black cloth suit, white shirt, stiff collar, and dark yellow mustache. But beneath the strange clothes and facial hair was like looking at Jason. 

“Wow, he looks just like Uncle Jason,” said Teddy following him over to the portrait. 

Jason’s blue eyes stared down at them from the stern-faced stranger. Logan whistled. “I think I’m seeing double,” he laughed. 

“Yeah…” Harry was beginning to think there was more to the connection than he originally expected. 

Jason came over to stand with them. “Creepy isn’t it?” 

“It could be you in a few years, if you did the mustache.” 

“Meet Jedidiah Summerland. He was the head of the religious community that came here to get away from the worldly temptations,” he snorted when he said this. “He was a very self-righteous guy, but strangely a lot of families that trace their ancestors back to when he was alive have a lot of kids that eerily look like him.” 

“Self-righteous twats are annoying,” Harry offered, making Logan laugh before he meant to. 

Jason cocked his head back. “Yeah, I guess they would be. It was pretty much a cult, they have a weakness for women and sex, whichever and however. Jedidiah was actually killed by vampires. Apparently, he tried to convert them to the Lord, and they didn’t like it. Frankly, I think he tried to seduce the wrong undead lady and paid the price.” 

“Religion in the wrong hands is a dangerous weapon. Just as much as if you were holding a grenade,” said Logan. 

Jason nodded. “Yeah, it is.” 

Peterson came over and whistled. “The resemblance is almost disturbing, if you don’t mind my saying.” 

“I don’t mind because it’s true,” said Jason. 

“I’ve cleared the way for you to see your father, Mr. Schuyler. The hospital staff have already caught two reporters trying to sneak upstairs. I’ve asked them to treat your father’s privacy as they would the governors. I think that should keep the press away.” 

Harry didn’t think that would hold for long. 

“Thank you,” said Jason. He was still looking at the painting when he said it. He turned and gave Peterson a grin. It filled his eyes with laughter, and changed the face to Jason’s face. Peterson looked almost startled, then smiled back. Jason had that effect on people. 

Harry reached for Jason’s hand, the smile began to fade around the edges, and his eyes looked almost as stern as the ones in the portrait. “Let’s get this over with.” 

“Do you wish for me to accompany you?” Logan asked. 

Jason was about to say no, but then he nodded. “Please?” 

As they went for the elevator there was already a suit holding the door, and the admin for the hospital. Apparently, she was going to ride up with them. 

Harry couldn’t help but draw a few conclusions as they stepped in, and Harry felt Jason’s hand grow warm to touch. His nerves began to jump, and Harry felt the beast beneath his fingers like a pulse. He had good control, really good, but his body temperature was rising with his growing anxiety. 

Harry squeezed Jason’s hand, and roused his own wolf causing her to stir beneath his chest and push her body into Jason’s wolf. 

“Sorry,” Jason mouthed. 

Harry shook his head. Teddy was talking to Logan. He was asking the man questions, and the admin kept trying to talk to Jason who was barely responding. Harry didn’t bother with small talk and did his best to use what he could to keep Jason calm. If he had to, he’d resort to a calming charm. 

Logan and the rest of them stayed back once they arrived at the floor, and Harry could feel the budding deaths stirring to life, and began to shiver as though a cold draft blew through. 

“Cold?” asked Logan, noticing the goosebumps on his arms. 

“Something like that.” He could feel souls that were ready to move on, and some that were struggling to stay alive against reason. It wasn’t the smell of the antiseptic, and it wasn’t the sombre feeling. It was the souls and the bodies that were rotting away around the soul. 

“Shit, I forgot. You’re sensitive to-” Jason trailed off from saying ghosts. 

“It’s okay, Jason.” He brought Jason’s hand up and patted the top of it. 

As they stepped off, Jason gripped his arm suddenly. “Can you tell if my dad-?” 

Harry looked at him. “Do you want to know the truth?” 

Jason made a noise, and his hand squeezed Harry’s until it grew hotter and hotter. He shook his head. Harry didn’t think so. 

A woman appeared in the corridor just ahead of the admin. The woman wore a soft pink suit and had short blond hair. She was about his and Jason’s height. She turned toward us and, after a moment, Harry could tell that this was Jason’s mother. 

She had the same eyes and hair; the face was different, thinner; a little more pointed chin, but the eyes were like looking into Jason’s eyes. But just like the painting downstairs had filled those eyes with disapproval, her eyes were filled with worry. 

She saw Jason, and her face lightened for a moment. Her eyes flickered to Harry. A real moment of doubt, a slight frown tugging at her lips. Jason clenched him so tight that it would hurt if he wasn’t used to big hands. She then looked confused at the child beside Harry. Her eyes never seemed to lose the look of ‘Is this a good idea?’ Harry wanted to scoff. If she chose her husband over her kids, then she wasn’t worth his time. He didn’t say it, but he sure felt it as Jason finally let go long enough to hug her. 

She wrapped her arms around him, her hand patting the back of his hair as she broke away from him. She tugged at his suit, putting it back in place as if she’d mussed him. 

“You look good,” she said softly. 

Jason nodded, and stepped back beside Harry. “This is Harry Potter-Black and his son Teddy. Harry, Teddy, this is Iris.” 

“Hello!” said Teddy first off. 

“Hi there,” she smiled, and it was a real one. 

“Hello Mrs. Schuyler,” said Harry, extending his hand as she shook it. Her handshake was a bare touch, then away, as if she didn’t shake hands much. He let his hand be a bit firmer causing her eyes to spark with surprise as he let go, and landed a hand on Teddy’s head. 

“Are you Jason’s mum?” Teddy asked boldly. 

“Yes, I am.” 

“Jason’s my Uncle,” said Teddy proudly. 

“Is he?” She asked, seeming confused. 

Jason smiled truly at Teddy. “L-Harry’s a good friend of mine, and me and Teddy are best buds aren’t we?” 

“You said it,” said Teddy with a charm turned all the way up and very natural. 

“Please, call me Iris.” 

Harry only nodded as she touched him on the forearm. She seemed to want to hug him, but Harry was able to come off cold enough that it inherently dissuaded her from doing so. He did not like the fact that she had been desperate enough to ask Jason to bring a prostitute home with him. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Harry. I can call you that right?” His respect was not yet won, and his eyes must have held something because she began to press down her dress as if there was a gust of wind. 

“Sure.” 

Jason’s mother took his free hand, and led them toward the room she’d come out of. A woman whose hair was almost as black as Harry’s own came out of the room. She was tall and broad-shouldered, but still gave the impression of delicacy of bone. She wore jeans and a t-shirt with some sort of slogan on it. She saw them and gave a glad cry of, “Jason!” 

That was a better greeting, Harry thought as Jason caught the woman. She damn near smothered him to her chest. The height difference was considerable, with her on the tall end. 

Jason drew back enough to say. “Harry, Teddy, this is my sister Julia.” 

_ They looked nothing alike _ , Harry thought. Julia then came out of nowhere and hugged Harry as if he were best friends with her. Harry was startled, and it was a good thing his magic hadn’t reacted to her. It could have. 

“It’s so nice to meet you! Are you his boyfriend?” 

“Actually, no,” said Jason gently pulling Harry gently away from her. 

His mother had a look of relief on her face. “Truly?” 

“I said no. Harry isn’t my boyfriend, but he is-” he tried to decide how to say it. 

Harry smirked. “I’m anything you need me to be, Jason.” 

For the first time since they’d gotten onto the elevator the smile reached into his eyes. “Exactly!” 

“And who is this darling boy?” asked Julia, bending down to Teddy that’s how tall she was for a woman. 

“I’m Teddy. Harry is my Parrain, and Jason’s my Uncle. Are you good to Jason?” he asked critically causing his green eyes to sparkle. That seemed to throw Iris for a loop. 

“I sure am. I’m Julia!” She held out her hand and he shook it. 

“Nice to meet you Julia. Good, because Jason deserves to be loved.” 

Julia glowed. “Yes, he does. I agree with you.” 

Jason chuckled. “Thank you, Teddy.” 

“He’s absolutely adorable. How old are you?” 

“I’m ten,” said Teddy proudly. 

“What does Parrain mean?” asked Iris in what she thought was a genial tone. 

“Godfather in French,” said Harry. 

“Yup, I have a lot of family so I have to have special names for everyone,” Teddy told her. 

“Who is running the store?” asked Jason. 

“Brian of course. He’s minding the store so I could come visit Dad.” The sunshine she’d had faded a little from her big brown eyes. It was like watching a flower wilt. She stood up right as a woman came out of the room that looked a lot like Julia. 

“Hello Jason.” She was much different from the leisured looking Julia who had a good smile. She was wearing a navy business skirt suit with a white shell. 

“Roberta, hi,” said Jason in what sounded like a bland tone. 

She held her hand out for Harry to shake. “So you finally admit it, and brought a guy home?” she asked. 

“He’s a friend,” said Jason, dropping his smile. “I don’t need to prop myself up with some false girlfriend, and if I had a boyfriend I’d have brought him too.” Iris stiffened at this, and Julia tilted her head as if understanding. 

Roberta wore her makeup conservatively, and she was even taller than Julia. She had a square shaped jaw that was more masculine than both Jason and Harry put together. Roberta’s hair was the same dark tresses and it was styled carefully past her shoulders. She was glaring at Jason. 

“Then maybe he should leave,” said Roberta. “I don’t want Dad upset-” 

Before she could finish, Jason was already moving to take Harry’s hand. “Fine by me,” said Jason. “Let’s go!” 

“NO! Please! Roberta!” Iris wailed. “Please, Jason, Please! Don’t go!” She grabbed him from behind, and Harry stiffened and watched carefully as Jasons’ face went cold, almost Edward cold. 

“Why the fuck am I even here? Why did you call me?” Jason growled. “You didn’t want me here.” 

“Why do you have to be so mean, Bobbi?” Julia scoffed. “And in front of a child no less!” She waved her hands at Teddy. 

“My name is Roberta,” she snapped. 

“I want you here. Roberta, I ask you to stop!” 

“So, you’ll let Dad suffer with him being here? You might as well come out with it that you two are together! It’s so obvious,” she said with a roll of her dark eyes.

Jason turned and looked at her. “You know, I thought about lying and saying he was. Just to piss you all off. You know I’m bisexual. I like them both, but I won’t have you disrespecting him or saying such things in front of his son.” 

Roberta actually had the sense of looking a bit ashamed as she stared at the child peering up at her with a disapproving frown. “You’re not gay?” She looked at Harry. It seemed because he had a child then he couldn’t be gay. As if there was nothing for it. 

“What I am and what I’m not is not really your business, ma’am,” said Harry. “Jason is a dear friend of mine. He’s family to me, and that’s all that matters.” 

Roberta’s eyes glanced at the men behind them. Peterson, the young suit, and Logan were standing in the hallway. “You finally have your own guards, just like the rest of the Summerlands,” she sneered. 

“Roberta,” Iris said it like she meant it. The one word cracked into the sudden silence with more force than Harry thought the woman had in her. 

Roberta went quiet, but her eyes held venomous anger. Jason just stared at her flatly. No emotion in his eyes whatsoever, and that seemed to startle her. 

“So, why am I here?” asked Jason to his mother. 

“I want you here, please…” 

“You don’t. You really don’t.” 

“Jason…” Julia bowed her head. 

“Why am I here if you did not want me here?” Jason asked sharply. “What cause do you have to call me after all this time? Yes, I am bisexual.” 

“Gay. You sleep with guys.” 

“And women. Lots of women,” said Jason. “Lots of fuck buddy ladies out there.” 

Iris pulled back. “Jason!” 

“It’s true. I love fucking them, and I love fucking guys, and most women love it that a guy like me can do another guy or have them do me. You got it?” 

Roberta’s face turned completely white, and she looked like she was going to pass out. “How could you? You say that in front of a child?” 

“I know what sex is. I’m ten, not two,” Teddy said as if the woman was too young to understand.  _ It was a great mocking voice _ , Harry thought. “Geez, it’s no wonder you don’t come back here, Uncle Jason. If they don’t accept you, they’re not worth being around.” 

Iris looked like she was going to go up into tears, and Harry smirked at Teddy as Roberta’s eyes went wide. “My son knows the truth because I hate lies,” said Harry. “Truth and nothing but the truth, but you know, without the whole god spiel.” 

Roberta had an expression as though she’d been slapped. “So, you’re fucking satanists too?” 

“I fuck whatever looks good,” said Jason grinning. 

“A satanist would require me to actually believe in hell. You know what I believe in?” Harry smiled sweetly. “Death. That’s it. Just death. No heaven, no hell. Just death. Nothing more and nothing less. So Jason, what do you want to do? I’m yours as you see fit.” 

“I’m going to ask you to stop, Roberta! I know you’re hurt about Dad, but hurting Jason won’t save him,” Julia exclaimed causing Roberta to look away from them. 

She shook her head. “I have to get out of here.” She went, not for the elevator, but down the hallway.

“I am so sorry, Harry,” said Iris. “And I’m sorry Teddy you had to hear that horrible stuff.” 

“It’s not your fault,” said Teddy. “It’s also not Jason’s fault. It’s your own problem if you don’t accept him. We love Jason and we accept him more than enough.” 

Julia couldn’t help but smile wide. “I agree with you, Teddy.” Iris was staring at Teddy as though she’d never seen a child like him before. 

A deep voice came from the open door. “If you’re going to fight, do it where I can see it.” 

Jason let out a sigh, and he leaned against Harry and put his face into his neck. Harry cupped his cheek affectionately as Jason breathed in the scent of his skin. 

Iris went ahead of them saying, “Frank, be nice!” 

Harry had a feeling that nice is the last thing he was going to be. “You want to do this?” 

Jason closed his eyes once, and then he nodded before letting go and waltzing in behind Julia who had been watching them curiously. 

“Teddy, why don’t you do me a favor and talk to Detective Logan for me?” 

“You don’t want me in there?” 

“No, sweetie I don’t,” Harry admitted. 

“Can I ask why?” 

Harry leaned in closer and cupped his cheek as he whispered into his ear. “I don’t trust that he won’t say something nasty to you, and then I’d have to kill him. It won’t do Jason a bit of good if I did that.” 

Teddy pulled back and stared at Harry’s face critically, and nodded. “Okay, Parrain. I’ll go talk to him.” He kissed Harry lightly on the lips and ran down the hall where Logan was standing. The detective flashed him a handsome smile, and leaned down as Teddy started talking to him. 

Harry turned on his heel and headed into the room. 

Frank Schuyler took up most of the bed so that his feet were sort of stranded over the edge of it. It was as if they hadn’t been able to find anything big enough to fit him. Even lying down he was obviously over six feet. But the cancer had left him almost nothing but the height. The strong bones of his face that had shown in Roberta’s face were prominent in the way that skeletons were. His eyes were deep sunken caverns. He still had a head full of black hair and a mustache just as dark. It meant that he hadn’t gone through with chemo or they hadn’t found the cancer in time. 

Harry could feel the rising of death all around the room, and he could see a shadow of the man’s soul as if it was waiting for the inevitable departure. For most people it would be warm or mild in the room, but for Harry it was terribly cold. He was hooked up to tubes in his arms and nose, and it looked to Harry as though most of his dignity were dying with him. 

“Why did you come?” his father asked. 

Harry remained at the foot of the bed. Jason’s eyes flickering up and down the body. “Mom asked,” said Jason in a flat voice. 

“Still a fag?” he asked contritely.  _ If the man wasn’t already dying. At least it was a slow and painful death _ , Harry thought in disgust. 

Jason didn’t react at all to his words and instead said. “I’m whatever I want to be,” He then turned away and looked at Harry. “Let’s go. We shouldn’t keep Teddy outside for long.” 

“Jason!” Both Iris and Julia cried out. 

“Please, don’t leave, please, Frank… really!” Iris started crying. 

“Look what you did? Making your mother cry.” 

“Hah, try again, Frank,” Jason said in a near snarl. “You’re the one who is making her cry. Not me. Why don’t you be a man and step up to the plate, and to admit to your own shortcomings?” Iris and Julia froze, the wailing had stopped, and the room settled into one great big wave of shock. 

Frank just stared at his son. “Get some balls did you?” 

“More than you ever had.” 

“Is that why you have Death standing beside you?” Frank asked, making Iris and Julia flinch. 

“Is that what you see standing beside me?” Jason asked neutrally. 

“It’s Death. I can smell it, feel him,” he croaked, and his hollow cavernous eyes locked on Harry who had not moved. “I can see you. You’ve come to call me away haven’t you? Well? Get on with it. I’m tired of pain.” 

“Nature takes its course, Mr. Schuyler. You will be alive for as long as those machines let you live,” said Harry crisply. “It may be slow and long or it may be short and quick.” 

“He is many things to me. None of which you care about. Nothing I say would make you happy. I could be six foot tall and bulletproof, and you’d still not be happy so I’m not wasting my good breath on trying to please you. You die. You die as miserable as you lived.” 

“Jason! Please, why would you say that to him?” 

“No, no, let the boy talk, for the first time he’s got some stones. Maybe you’re a man after all.” 

“I have a dick and it works well, I think that’s more than enough, and what I am should make no difference to you.” 

“Crude, Jason!” Julia wavered. “Please, why can’t we just have a moment together? Why is it always fighting?” She asked tearfully. 

Iris was practically shaking. “What did he mean by ‘you’re death’?” 

“He’s sick, mom,” Julia placated. 

“Probably my profession. I have power over the dead,” said Harry carefully. “Sometimes those who are close to the veil can sense others with the power over them.” 

Frank let out a strangled cough, and then laughed. “I guess the punishment is going to be real.” 

“That’s up to you. Only you can punish yourself, death has only one job after all.” 

“And what’s that?” 

“It collects.” 

Frank tried to shift as if to look at him better. “Come closer.” Harry stepped closer to the man’s bed. “You a fag too?” 

“Yup and quite proud of it. But if you judge someone by what you don’t see then you’re just an ignorant fool who wasted his life. If anything I should bring my kid in here and show him what not to be when he grows up. But I think he already knows. He much rather be like his Uncle Jason. The better man.” 

“What would you know about a better man?” 

“I have many in my life. I have sociopaths that would cut a sway for Jason should they have half a mind. I have lusty vampires and werewolves of all kinds. I even have the occasional leopard. It’s quite a life, but none of that matters because in the end all we are is determined by the soul, everything else rots. I should know.” Instinctively he flared a thread of his own cold power, and he directed it toward Frank, beginning at his feet and sliding through him causing his dark eyes to become big and round as it swirled over him. “Some I have with kill-counts so high it would make a soldier’s head spin. Does that make a man for you? He likes men too. Or how about the psychopath? It seems all of them are ahead of you.” 

“M-maybe you should leave,” said Iris nervously. 

“No, Iris. This is the most fun I’ve had in months,” Frank said with a cough. “I can feel his power, radiating up my spine. Who knew that Death was a homo?” 

“Death is everything and yet it’s nothing. It doesn’t have a gender. It doesn’t have much of a face. It simply is. A black vortex of nothingness.” 

“You do know he’s fucking the Master of St. Louis?” 

“Actually, it’s me who fucks him.” Harry held up his hand to show his ring. “He’s my sweetie. One of them. I’m a greedy person. I like them all. I don’t understand how fucking a man or woman has anything to do with you or whether that equates what he is or isn’t. It’s his life, not yours. It’s his business, not yours. He doesn’t ask if you fuck your wife does he?” Jason said nothing this whole time. Frank’s eyes flickered. “Why should you be asking these questions? Especially when you do it out of spite for something that is not his fault? It’s you that’s the problem. Not him. He was innocent, and you were the bastard who hurt him. So stop your excuses, stop the shield before it’s way too late for you. A real man sucks it up, and protects the innocent. A real man takes care of the weak. A real man walks through the fire and comes out with burns, but those he saves are unscathed. A real man is not judged by what or who he does, but rather by the life he lived. Those he loved, those he cared about, and those he treasured. Ignorant fools are the ones forgotten, the ones who are broken, and the ones who will never stop regretting, even in death they will regret and lament and it will be a torment for eternity.” 

Frank slumped down at that, his hair flickering down into his eyes. 

“You should be proud of Jason. He is the kindest person in the world, and women and men flock around him. He’s beautiful inside and out. It’s your own shortcomings that make you fail to see this. If you won’t have him, I have a lot of men in my life that will take him for their own. I also have a lot of women. So many that would beg for him. Even a sociopath, one who can’t feel. If Jason asked, he’d come in here and shoot you between the eyes. Just because Jason means something to him.” 

“Harry…” 

“He needs to hear it, Jason. He needs the truth rammed into his head.” He never took his gaze from Frank’s frail body. 

“You see a lot, don’t you boy?” 

“Don’t you call me boy. I’m way older than I look.” 

Frank let out a throaty laugh, and shifted around a bit, moving some tubes so that he could get more comfortable. 

Jason straightened his spine, and then he smiled at Harry. “We’ll leave now. I’m sure Pete won’t mind flying us back tonight.” He didn’t bother to look at his father as he started to walk away only for Frank to reach out and take his wrist. 

“Stay a day or two,” he croaked, and that caused the other two women in the room to tense, as if that one small statement meant more to them than anything. 

Jason looked like he would jerk his arm away, but instead he shrugged. “I’ll be back tomorrow, but beyond that I’ll have to see.” 

“Uncle Jason, are you ready? Do you need my cuddles?” Teddy popped his head around, and wouldn’t you know it, he had transformed his face and hair to look identical to Jason making Iris stagger with a gasp, and Julia to stare at him open mouthed. 

Frank saw the child standing there. “He’s too big to be your kid,” he said looking at Jason. 

“He’s my buddy,” said Jason. 

Teddy beamed. “Yup! I have one great big family, Mr. Schuyler,” he said cheerfully. “I have Parrain, I have Dad, and Papa, and Père. I have aunts and uncles and cousins. My mum and dad died saving the world, and so I’m really proud of them. But now I have so much family that I get to love and take care of!” 

Frank stared at the child as if he were seeing a ghost. “Is that so?” 

“He lost his parents? How old was he?” 

“Not even two months old,” said Harry holding out his hand and Teddy happily placed his in Harry. 

“Blood doesn’t matter at all. It’s the heart that counts, and all that stuff. I’m getting hungry though, like really hungry.” They’d had sandwiches on the Jet but that was a while ago, and Teddy was a growing boy with an appetite to go with any proud wolf. 

“How is he looking like Jason?” asked Iris. 

“I can look like anyone I want,” he said, screwing up his eyes and nose and in a flash he transformed into an identical copy of Harry and then he did it again and he looked identical to Julia. 

“His mother was a special woman,” said Harry. “She had a rare genetic talent that allowed her to change her features.” He changed back to look like Jason. 

As Jason said his good-byes, his father reminded him again to come back. It had more strength this time, and Jason did well not showing any expression as he simply nodded. 

“Hope you get better, Mr. Schuyler.” 

His mother started to follow them out, but his father said, “Iris!” in a tone that called her back. 

She waved at them and called, “Bye, I love you Jason.” 

Jason didn’t reply. 

Julia followed them out and hugged Jason tightly. Jason hugged her back, but said nothing to her. “I can’t believe… you said things like that to him. Both of you.” 

“Why not tell the truth?” Harry asked. “Why lie? What’s the point?” 

Julia floundered for a moment. “Not even for a man on his deathbed?” 

“Why? How is that any different? No one should be lied to or patronized. Especially those who are dying, because the dead do not lie.” 

She was left speechless as Jason curled into Harry. He put his left arm through Harry’s so he could touch Harry’s hand and arm with his hands. He was icily calm as they approached Logan and Peterson with Teddy in tow. 

Logan rode up front with the security. It was as if he sensed what was about to happen the moment they slid into the limousine, and were away from the eyes. 

Jason burst into a stream of silent tears and fell into Harry’s lap. Harry and Teddy both took it upon themselves to curl around him as he sobbed silently, his shoulders violently shaking as he broke apart. Harry promised silently to help put him back together again.


	5. Chapter Five

Logan and Peterson lead them up through the back stairs of the hotel this time. It was likely the staff entrance if the way the old stairs looped around the inn. It was a common feature in old manor style homes. Harry had them. Neither of them said a word, and Harry didn’t offer conversation. The other gray suit had stayed outside to make sure no one followed them in. 

Peterson handed Harry a business card. “The governor is very serious about keeping you out of the limelight.” 

“I appreciate the effort, Mr. Peterson.” 

“My job, Mr. Potter-Black.” 

“Call if you need anything.” 

“Thank you, Logan.” Logan smiled and ruffled Teddy’s hair before the two took their leave. 

Jason went straight to the bathroom as Harry closed and locked the door up tight. 

“Are we going to order food from the room?” Teddy asked sitting on one of the sofas and staring at the bathroom door with concern. 

“Yep.” Luckily, the inn provided menus in the room for their dining services, and he did his best to distract Teddy with one of them. “What should we order?”

Harry placed an order for the three of them, and chose something light for Jason. Harry set up Teddy’s dartboard in the other room so that he had something to do, and then he wandered over to the bathroom and knocked against the door. 

“I’ve ordered us some food.” 

“I’m not hungry.” 

“I know, but you have to anyway. You started running hot, Jason. You need to cool your wolf with a balanced diet,” He said pressing his back to the wall. “I’m sorry.” 

He turned off the running water, and opened the door. “What are you sorry about?” 

“Everything.” 

He gave Harry a bitter smile, and Merlin did it hurt to see it. Jason wasn’t supposed to smile bitterly. He was the least bitter person in the world. “I knew what to expect. I wasn’t fooled thinking I’d have some hallmark moment. I’m not an idiot. Once an abuser always an abuser. I don’t care what some experts try to say. People don’t generally change.” 

“Unless you mean you can’t change stripes to spots. But, you do know it’s not your fault for him?” 

Jason laughed. “Yeah, boy, you didn’t pull punches.” 

“Sorry. I might have used him as a bit of a surrogate,” Harry confessed. “Just the way he spoke and sounded conjured up Uncle Vernon in my head. Although, Uncle Vernon was about three hundred or so pounds.” 

“But, he liked you. Despite everything, you caught his respect. I guess it makes sense. He likes guys with balls.” 

“You have a nice pair?” Harry offered and Jason laughed through the sad sparkle in his eyes. “You stood up for yourself too back there.” 

“I think that was you running through me,” said Jason. “I normally do my best to avoid the situation, but when I walked in there all I could think was… God this man has made me miserable, and now he lays dying. I want to hate him so bad, but part of me wanted him to accept me. Stupid isn’t it? You can’t change. I know that.” 

“It’s not stupid. It only means you’re the better person Jason. No matter how dark things get you have an optimism about you. Even when you’re faking it.” 

“At home I don’t have to fake it,” said Jason. “You know, when I first started being Jean-Claude’s pomme de sang, I was kind of ashamed, bitter. All I could think of was how dancing with vampires ran in the family. You know, with Summerland being my ancestor. I always wanted a little slice of normal. This town makes you want that. It’s all inclusive, everyone knows everybody. I mean, most leave their doors unlocked at night and some are even open if it’s warm enough for a breeze. Edward wouldn’t approve of that.” 

Harry laughed. “No, he wouldn’t.” He didn’t bother mentioning his suspicions about the Summerland and Schuyler family connection. It was none of his business to pick and poke at a dragon, but as little as Harry knew about blooded family members even he saw the uncanny resemblance. He saw the indignance on Frank’s sallow face. He saw the bruised pride. 

He would bet his magic that Jason Schuyler wasn’t Frank Schuyler’s son. Yes, family resemblances could be passed on, and genetics can be a wonky thing. However, there was no denying that this constant mixup had more to it and the way Jason would stare at the portrait as if he just knew but didn’t want to admit it. 

“Could he really feel your power?” Jason asked. 

“Maybe,” said Harry carefully. “I’ve had those that are about to die look at me and recognize me even though I’ve never seen them before.” 

“Must be hard.” 

Harry sank down on the bouncing bed, and began to take off his boots. “I’ll tell you a small secret that I haven’t spoken to anyone about. I - sort of felt Remus before he died.” 

Jason blinked at this. “You felt him dying?” 

“It’s hard to explain, but when I was using my power to feel the room I felt a cold thread come from him. Like it wasn’t set in stone. It could go either way. At the time there was so much going on that I didn’t notice it for what it was. I don’t typically feel lycanthropes. I can do human, not lycanthropes. At least not very often. It’s like in Branson, St. John’s wife. I could feel her grow cold as the antarctic. It was a death that I knew I couldn’t stop.” 

“Did you feel it from my father?” 

“Do you really want that answer?” 

Jason frowned and shook his head. “No I don’t.” 

What Harry felt from Frank was a slow death, one that could go either way. To say Frank was a fighter was an understatement. He did have a strong will. He wasn’t sure if that was a comfort for Jason or not. 

“What’s Teddy doing?” He asked, obviously hearing the ping sound. 

“Throwing darts, so mind your balls when you walk through,” Harry grinned causing Jason to chuckle. 

“Yeah, I need them to deal with that man. What you said to him struck a cord.” 

“I think that was you, Jason. You didn’t call him dad. You called him out on his bullshit. I was just a stranger who told him he was going to die. Just like the nurses and doctors. I just highlighted all the things that people would lie to his face about.” 

“I used to be afraid of him,” Jason confessed. “Also sad that he wouldn’t look at me. Roberta is his favorite, obviously.” 

“I don’t see how people can have favorites with kids.” 

“That’s because you’re not an ass. I like to people watch, so I see it more than I want to. I always thought I’d be an actor and so I took to watching people. You collect mannerisms the way other people collect stamps.” 

Edward had told Harry that he liked to people watch because it taught him how to play normal. It was similar to Jason’s except not as wholesome. But, Harry also knew that trauma followed a person all their lives. No matter how hard the fight, the trauma would always be there somewhere deep inside. A lot of the time it shaped a person into who they become. For better or worse. Jason had enough of that, what with his father and then Raina. 

His suit jacket was off and so was the tie. His shirt was open down the front with only the French cuffs with their gold links left unfastened. 

Jason started touching Harry’s face as if he was fascinated. He ran a finger from Harry’s temple down the side of his cheek to the light curve of his jaw. 

“What’s so fascinating about my face?” Harry asked. 

“A lot. You have a lot of facial expressions.” 

“Do I?” 

“Sometimes I can read your mind by just looking at your face.” 

“I’ve been told that before,” Harry laughed. “And not in a good way.” 

“I say it is. If only other people used their emotions the way you do. Some can drown in their own misery. But you push through it. You wield it like a weapon and use it as a shield. Like when you thought you’d taken advantage of Requiem. I could see every thought on your face. It was fascinating. I bet Edward watches you a lot.” 

“You’re not wrong.” 

His hand curved along Harry’s jaw to cradle his face. Jason then kissed him. A soft shivery sensation ran up his back, he knew it wasn’t the ardeur, and when his eyes fluttered he found himself staring into a deep endless blue. It was like he could see and taste Jason’s soul on his tongue. 

He loved Jason a lot. As a friend, confident, friendly lover, and he had never run from it. He was not about to start to, not with Jason so in need. He could feel his desires and needs, the ardeur often acted as a radar from him even when not active. He could feel the pulses of desires, whether sexual or not sexual. Jason’s body was loud and clear, shrilling at him that he needed touched. He needed someone to touch him. He needed to own something. 

All werewolves needed ownership in some way, and Jason’s way of ownership had always toed the line of sexual. He was a perfect pomme for Jean-Claude, and a wonderful person inside and out. He was a lot like Harry that he could actually see Jason in his place if things were reversed. 

Jason rolled them over the bed making Harry’s pulse speed up. Harry let him do what he wanted, and folded his fingers into Jason’s hair just before fingers wrapped around his wrists to pin him to the bed, and he knew things would have gone much further if the knock on the door hadn’t interrupted. 

Jason growled against Harry’s lips. 

“Food.” 

“I want you, not food.” 

“You can have both, but food first,” Harry stroked his face. He pulled away from Jason’s lips and kissed his cheek before Jason rolled off him. 

Harry made sure to ask who it was. Harry didn’t let them in, but tipped the man outside the door before taking the cart and pushing it through. He had ordered soup and salad for Jason, something that was easy to get down, and wouldn’t roll his stomach. Harry called Teddy, and Jason grudgingly moved to sit with them. He chose grilled steak for Teddy and himself, and a good amount of vegetables with a slice of banana cream pie for each. Apparently, thanks to the bachelorette party there was no cheesecake. 

“Since we’re here another day at least do you want to call Logan and get breakfast?” Harry asked with a smile. “I’m sure he’d be happy to see you again.”

“Sure, cause I’ve made such a great impression. Argue with the Summerland’s guards, argue with my family, and break down crying in the car. He also saw me kiss you.” Jason stabbed his salad. “I doubt he’d be interested.”

“He asked me if you were seeing each other.” Teddy piped in as he contemplated eating the broccoli or carrots.

“Did he now?” Harry grinned.

“Uh huh. Seemed interested in the fact that Uncle Jason wasn’t dating you. I told him you were engaged, Parrain.”

“I’m sure he was just amusing you buddy…” Jason did his best to hide his peaked interest.

“I bet if you called right now he’d agree to a date.” Harry ran a hand down Jason’s arm.

“Doesn’t matter, we’re only here a short time and there’s no point in going on a date with anyone here.” Jason shook his head. “He has a job and likely tons of other ties here, St. Louis is too far for a long distance relationship.”

“I made it work.”

“Really, Lupa, I know you were the port for Edward’s ship; but you were in a super casual relationship at the time and had Jean-Claude and Micah to fuck in between.”

“So find someone in St. Louis as well.” Teddy chimed in. 

“It’s up to you, Jason, we just don’t want you to regret not giving it a try if you’re interested.” Harry leaned over and kissed Jason’s cheek. “You know you can always come to me and the others for a night if you need to. Thing is, despite my interrogation of him, I already had a good feeling about him. My instincts tell me he’s a good guy. But it would be very un-Lupa of me if I didn’t inquire, and Edward would kick my arse if I didn’t make an effort.” 

Jason laughed. “Yeah, but what if it’s you he was interested in?” 

Harry shook his head. “Nah, he’s not. I’m not as blinded as I used to be. I can tell when a man is interested in me now. It’s not me he was looking at. It’s almost like an energy, and from my perspective the energy was much more compatible between you and him.”

Jason couldn’t help but smile as he chewed the grilled chicken on his salad. “You’re getting my hopes up.” 

“Not. I’m just trying to help you get a distraction.” 

It seemed that temporarily the sex had gone out of Jason’s sails, and when he finished eating he ended up crawling into the bed, tired from the emotional rollercoaster he’d been on. 

Harry and Teddy spent some time playing darts until the sun began to slowly descend and an orange glow spread through the room. 

“Jason is really sad isn’t he?” asked Teddy. 

“Yes,” Harry answered, instead of giving out platitudes that he would be alright. He would be given time, but right now he wasn’t. 

“Why are people like that? I mean, why are his parents so weird about who everyone else loves?” asked Teddy. 

“In the words of your Dad, people are idiots,” Harry laughed. “But, in my words - I don’t honestly know.”

“I heard everything that happened in the room. It was easy to hear it,” Teddy admitted. 

“There are a lot of cruel people out there. It’s why men like your Dad exist.” 

“Do you think we’re doing a good job helping him?” 

“I think we’re doing the best we can, and Jason knows that. He’s kind of like me in the way. He will tuck it away soon enough.” 

“But will it come back? I don’t want him to be sad where I can’t help him.” 

Harry laughed. “Just you wanting to help him and cuddling him is the best thing you can do, Teddy. I think you did a great job making stupid adults feel three foot tall.” 

Teddy beamed. “I love my life. Everyone is great. I want to help people. More and more. Maybe somehow teach them that they don’t have to be the way they are. You know, mean.” 

“I think that’s a great goal. Not everyone is like us, not everyone is open and honest with their feelings. You should never hide who you are for someone else, not even for parents and family. I learned that the hard way.” 

“Maybe we should go cuddle him so that he doesn’t have nightmares?” 

“I think that’s a good idea.” Harry placed the darts away, and the two of them crawled into the bed so that Jason was the one sandwiched between them. Teddy tried his hardest to stay awake, but he nodded off very quickly, and Harry was left spooned up against the blond man until he too began to doze off. 

He awoke to full dark of the room, soft sleeping sounds, and a hot breath coasting along his neck. Hands were working there way over him, they’d slipped beneath his shirt, and the heat traveled further into his lower body causing the arousal to stir. Jason dragged his mouth up Harry’s neck to his lips and sank deep inside of him. Harry didn’t know when he lost his pants and thong, but he wasn’t going to complain as Jason rocked smoothly.

Harry moaned as his back arched. “You couldn’t wake me first?” Teddy had gone into the other room sometime during their sleep. There was another room and bed in there just beyond the wall. 

“It was fun preparing your sleeping body,” Jason grinned as he moved slower than he usually did, too slow. In and out to the point Harry felt every ridge and vein. It caused a slow burning to start spinning as he writhed and rolled his hips in perfect timing. “You feel so good…” He covered Harry in desperate hungry kisses, and Harry fed him. Jason pulled off the rest of Harry’s clothes, using the motions to kiss other parts of Harry’s body. Harry moved his body in perfect timing, making Jason sigh harder as they did their best to muffle their sexual noises. 

Harry wrapped his legs around Jason and urged him on. Jason plunged in and out, the movements smooth and vigorous, the slickness of his cock fed both of them. Harry could never stay quiet, could never stay still. He had to move, he had to drain any man that climbed on top of him, and he forced the two of them to rock as the sweat started to drip. Harry ran his tongue across the salt, and bit down in all of Jason’s lovely places. 

It was always nice fucking someone closer to his size. He had more access to places besides a muscled chest. “God, let me just live in your ass, please,” Jason growled. “You’re always so fucking hot!” He began to speed up, the slowness driving him into a near madness as he worked his hips, rotating them and tightening his muscled ass. Harry gave it a good squeeze of encouragement. He was wrapped around Jason completely. 

“Why do you think Micah likes to have me as a cock warmer?” Harry teased through gulps of quiet moans. 

Every dip brought them to the edge, every squeak of the bed, and slap of their muscles and skin. 

To say Jason was a good lover was an understatement, fuck. He, like most, knew exactly what to do, where to hit, and what to take from him. Harry returned it, letting his wolf to lap up the attention, and they were moving hard and fast now, no longer paying attention to how the bed shifted. Jason bit down on Harry’s neck just below the torc to keep from screaming. 

Harry shamelessly admitted that Jean-Claude had infused him with a fetish of biting. He liked it when he was bitten in the middle of sex, and loved doing the biting too. 

“Fuck, amazing, I can’t stop-” 

_ Bang! _

The room vibrated but Jason and Harry ignored it at first; only for the second hit to crash down in vibration as a loud ear splitting shrill cut through the room. 

“You cheating bastard! Open this fucking door!” 

“-The fuck?” Jason growled, his eyes bleeding a moonlight green as Harry clutched him, and swallowed his breaths. 

“Keith, I know you’re in there, you bastard!” 

“Goddammit,” Jason heaved as Harry dropped his arms from around Jason and groaned. 

“The bloody hell? Is your town full of morons?” Harry couldn’t help but ask as an intense amount of anger roared through him from the interruption. Jason began to soften inside of him, and slipped out with a slick sound as he shifted off Harry. 

“Parrain-?!” Teddy asked in concern coming into the room.

“Under the bed, Teddy,” Harry ordered without missing a beat. 

She hit the door hard once more causing it to shake and rattle. He could tell that she was drunk and giving it all she had to try and break down the door. 

Harry had half a mind to step out and shoot her between the eyes. Jason went for one of the thick robes that were always in nicer hotel rooms and tossed Harry one too. “Give me one good reason why your town shouldn’t be gassed for this rubbish.” 

Jason let out a strangled laugh. “Sorry… what are we going to do? She’s not going to go away if she thinks I’m Keith.” He wiped the sweat from his face. No way someone isn’t going to not notice the high smell of sex in the room. Even humans would notice it. 

“And in our position she’s going to see it as something far worse.” Harry tied the robe around his naked frame and slid off the bed. His legs a bit shaky, always were during sex. He grabbed the gun that sat on the bedside table. 

“Shit, you’re not going to shoot her are you?” 

He had half a mind. Edward would have. “No, but with it in my hand might give her pause, hopefully.” He grabbed his cell and tossed it to him. “Call Logan, and go into the bathroom to do it.” 

That was when another voice trailed through the door, this one male. “Mr Summerland, do you really want the eleven o’clock news to show you leaving your fiancé outside your door while you have sex, and with another  _ man _ ?” He enunciated that last bit making the woman behind it shriek and shrill even louder. 

“Give me one good reason not to shoot that reporter in the balls,” Harry dared with a hiss while crossing the room barefoot and pressing to the wall. He should be more surprised by this, but he just couldn’t. This town was bloody crazy!

Harry gathered some magic in his hands and made sure to use a light sticking charm to keep them in their places, and then he opened the door while saying. “I don’t bloody care what you put on the damn news about the Summerlands because we are not them,” he snarled as he laced his voice with enough magic that froze the three behind the door. 

A small little woman was red-faced and in tears, she was barefoot and her eyes were rolling in her head. She was one of those little mousy blondes, and with her were two men, an auburn haired reporter and cameraman. 

“But if you continue to scare my child I will sue your asses for everything your companies have to own. I will see that you are ruined.” And on that note he waved his hand causing a burning smoking sensation to gather at the large black camera that was shouldered onto the man making him gasp and drop it to the ground as it melted into a hunk of plastic. The reporter was just still and silent, staring at him. 

“You! I saw you on the news!” the girl shouted with her finger pointed and she tried to move. “You’re that boy toy with Keith!” 

Harry held up his gun, and made a clicking motion that stopped her in her tracks. “You want to try that again, lady?” He didn’t have it pointed at her, but he did have it out. 

“Surely we don’t need this kind of excessive violence?” the reporter asked richly. 

“I’m not the one banging on a door at eleven o’ clock at night. Aren’t there laws about this kind of thing?” 

“What did you do to our camera? What are you?” 

“I - am not with a Summerland, I am here with Jason Schuyler and if you would use your small town brains then you would have uncovered the fact that Jason Schuyler is here seeing his father who is dying, and your interruptions and constant badgering of him about being a Summerland is harassment. And I assure you, I have way more money than these so-called Summerlands could ever have to drag things out for years.” 

The reporter paled, and the woman had dropped her hands at her sides. “He’s not Jason! Keith used to pretend to be Jason when he was screwing Nan Brandweiss.” 

“I don’t care what this Keith Summerland was or was not doing. I don’t even know who the bloody hell he is, and you - drunk in front of my door, I’m sure I could have had things ruled as an accident if I had shot you between the eyes. I will also bring you all up on charges for child endangerment. Let’s see how you like that press.” 

“Is that gun legally registered?” the reporter asked as if debating whether it was a good idea or not. 

“Yes,” said Harry. 

“Lisa?” Jason was suddenly behind Harry. “Lisa Bromwell?” 

“Mr. Summerland!” the reporter’s eyes widened. “So he is here.” He looked upset when he looked down at his camera on the ground that was useless. 

“I am not Keith!” Jason snarled intensely. “I am not Keith, I am not Kelsey. I am Jason Schuyler.” And he proved it when he opened his robe at the exact same time Logan and Chuck came running down the hall. 

Her eyes had been clenched shut, hands balled into small fists at her side and when she opened, she let out a gasp. “Jason?” The reporter was grumbling now, and muttering about how they couldn’t get it on camera. 

“Yeah, it’s me,” said Jason, closing his robe quickly. 

She tried to move, but she was frozen. “Why can’t I move?” 

“I don’t want you to move,” said Harry simply. She gaped at him when he said this. “You move when I say you can move.” 

“Why do you look like Keith Summerland?” asked the reporter. 

“Why do you not do research?” Harry sneered back. “Are you that half-baked of a reporter?” For some reason this man was causing his hackles to rise. More so than most reporters. Something prickled on the back of his neck as he gazed at the muddy brown eyes of the reporter.  _ Something was off about him _ , Harry thought. 

“That’s not nice.” 

“Oh and it’s nice interrupting complete strangers, is it?” he growled, feeling his beasts stir inside of him. He didn’t notice the man drawing back suddenly. 

“You can let her go,” said Jason. 

Harry looked at him. “You going to risk it?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Jason…!” More tears were draining down her cheeks, and Harry sighed and nodded, and Lisa could suddenly move and she flew into Jason’s chest, sobbing hard. 

“Can I move?” asked the reporter carefully. 

“No. You can leave,” said Chuck as Logan swept around sternly. 

“Mr. Potter-Black are you okay in here? Shall we remove this woman?” 

Before Harry could say yes, Jason shook his head. “It’s okay. I actually know her. It’s a small town. Lisa, Lisa!” But she continued to wail against him. “Just get the reporter out of here.” 

“Is this his?” asked Chuck, lifting the black mass that was his camera. 

“It was,” said Harry smirking. 

“Nice,” said Chuck with real respect. He shoved it into the reporter’s hand, and Harry let him unfreeze. 

“Come on, I’ll plaster everything I know on the internet if you don’t tell me the truth! That’s Keith Summerland right? He sleeps with boys? Man, this is going to make big news!” It was bold of him to be saying such in the hands of Chuck who seized the reporter’s forearms painfully. “Ow, hey, hey! It’s a legitimate question. If you don’t tell me what I want to know I’ll spread it, even without camera footage the rumor will spread like wildfire in this tiny town!” 

Chuck froze at this, and Peterson who had brought up the rear was staring flatly at the man. 

Before Logan could turn around and show him his badge, and remind him of the legal laws Harry started speaking. “Are you really sure you want to anger the Master of the City of St. Louis?” 

That froze everyone, including Jason and Lisa. 

“What?!” 

“You go spreading that rumor and putting pictures of me on the TV and internet, you will be cooked, completely. I’m Harry Potter-Black, fiancé to Jean-Claude of St. Louis, and this is not Keith Summerland, but Jason Schuyler, and you would know that if you looked on the internet. Jason is a dancer at Guilty Pleasures, and the pomme de sang to Master Jean-Claude.” 

“If that’s true then why are you here with him? Why are you having sex with him? Why did you kiss him live on TV?” 

“I’m here as a show of support. I’m having sex with him because my fiancé gives me liberties, he’s a vampire not a human after all. I kissed him because I wanted to and for the same reasons. I have never met or seen any of the Summerlands, hell, I didn’t even know they existed.”

“You don’t watch any TV?” 

“There’s way more to do than watch the TV. Now if you would please get out of my doorway before I have Detective Logan here arrest you. I’m sure he can name off all the charges, and I would be pressing them. Hard. Just think, hundreds of years of fortune against your tiny-ass-company who hires you.”

“Cruel.” 

“I am the lover of the  _ Master _ of St. Louis, would you expect less? I’ll give you a bone. You can print my answers so long as each word I used is legal. You bring any reporters back to this door, and all bets are off. I’ll ruin you and go further than that. Do I make myself clear?” 

The reporter grinned at him, in an almost charming boy way. “Crystal.” 

“Let’s go!” Chuck growled hauling him away. 

“I have it from here, Peterson, make sure they’re out of here,” said Logan. 

Peterson looked at Harry. “You covered for us, I thank you. But what about her?” By now a second leggy woman had come over to them. The new woman was tall in heels, and that put her at least six feet with sleek brunette hair that had been styled straight. She had a conventional pretty look like she followed every magazine guideline. 

“Let me talk to her, I can calm her down,” Jason’s smile reached into his eyes. “Lisa?” 

“I’m sorry…” She hiccupped. 

“Just close the door.” 

“I’ll send guards this way just in case,” said Peterson with a nod, and soon Logan was closing the door, and Harry was heaving a sigh. 

“You have your gun out,” Logan remarked. 

“-And I have a ten year old,” said Harry aware of the woman having inched into the room. “You’re not a bloody reporter too are you?” 

“No, I am Trish.” She held out her perfectly manicured hand. Harry shook it with his left since his right still had the gun. “You would have shot my friend?” 

“She tried to break down my door, lady. What else should I do?” 

“I’m really sorry!” Lisa squalled teary eyed. 

“You can stop squalling like a five year old,” Harry said flatly and Jason sent him a look. 

“Harry…” 

“I’m grumpy.” He placed his gun into his robe, but kept it within reach. 

“Can I come out now?” asked Teddy from under the bed. His clothes were wrinkled from having fallen asleep. 

Harry nodded at him, and he began to shimmy like he had earlier.  _ They would have to change his hiding spot _ , Harry thought. Twice now it was seen. 

Trish made a cooing noise, and Lisa’s eyes widened. 

“You have a son?” She looked at Jason. 

“No, that’s Teddy. Harry’s son.” He managed to get Lisa sitting down and softly talking to her. 

“How the hell did this woman find our room?” Harry asked, taking a seat on the arm of the chair. 

“The reporter knew your room number. He told her they’d seen Keith check in with a young male brunette. It’s rumored that he likes men who look younger than him,” confessed Trish. “A rumor that they’ve been trying to squash for years of course. They also had pictures of the two of you.” 

“The party must be quite something,” Harry muttered looking at the drunken woman blandly. He was unimpressed, even if she was in pain. 

Trish shook her head. “It hasn’t really started yet. She was this drunk when we got to the room for the party.” She was very small, looked a lot like Jason, and she continued to sway even as she sat down. Logan took up a stance next to Jason with the door in view. “Apparently, she got drunk alone in her room. Her bridesmaids found her this way clutching a handful of pictures of Keith and you.” 

“Not Keith,” Harry said for the umpteenth time. 

“Apparently not, but the resemblance is eerie.” It was not hard to see that Lisa looked more like Jason’s sister than his actual sisters. “It’s kind of creepy isn’t it? How all of them look alike?” 

“A bit.” 

“Have you seen many of the descendants of old Jedidah and the original families from his little town in the hills?” 

“Not yet.” 

“They all look like that, they’re related.” 

“Not surprised considering he said Summerland helped populate most of the day. I’m sure they’ve made a movie like this before.” Trish laughed as he said it. 

Logan grinned. “They have.”

“Well, when you see the wedding party you’ll believe it completely.” Harry looked at her oddly. “It’s very Twilight Zone.” 

“I just had a reporter with a camera and lights burst into our hotel room. I already feel like I’m in some bizarre show.” 

“I’d like to say it’ll get better, what’s your name again?” 

“Harry.” 

“Harry. I’ve been friends with them since they announced the wedding, and the closer it gets the weirder the press is getting. One of the reasons that they were so sure of you and Jason.” 

“He mentioned a while back that this is a paton place.” 

“Harper Valley PTA. It’s close,” said Logan. “Old movie, but good.” 

Trish laughed. “Yeah, that’s about right, and there is a real chance that the rumor going around that he has a brunette on the side may even be true. They say it’s a woman, but it’s not hard to change the gender when it comes to the media.” 

Harry couldn’t help but look at Trish. “If all of you know that he’s doing this to her, why the hell is she marrying him?” 

Trish gave him a look. 

“What?” 

“You might not understand this being a guy, but he’s rich, handsome, he’s fun as hell when he’s not being a bastard. His father is governor of the state and about to run for president. He may even make it all the way to the oval office.” She stopped talking as if that explained everything, and it was a blanket for every woman. 

He could just imagine Hermione and Luna with their wands pointed at this woman’s nose. “I may be male, but I have two friends that would likely rip off his balls and stuff them down his throat before they’d ever go down the aisle with someone like that.”

“Even at the risk of embarrassment and humiliation? It’s too close to the wedding to back out now!” 

“That wouldn’t work. He’d be dead.” 

“But you said you’re engaged to the Master of St. Louis right? Aren’t you cheating on him with Jason, here?” 

“Nope. We’ve entered a polyamorous relationship, the rules are different. Much different.” 

“Isn’t that just another way of saying you’d do anything?” 

“You really haven’t looked out your window much have you?” Harry asked back, surprising Trish. “Polyamory is hard. Not something I recommend for anyone, and it doesn’t mean screwing everything in sight. It’s not a relationship for kicks and tricks or for kinks. If even one of my men did what this guy was doing or if I did this to one of my men there would be nothing left of each other. I have a lot of monogamous friends. My female friends wouldn’t stand for this rubbish.” 

“Not even for money?” 

“Last thing they’d care about is money.” He was so not impressed with this woman, and no longer did he have much in the way of pity for Lisa Bromwell. If she let herself get into this situation, then it was her fault too. It was a two way street after all. 

Harry went to check on Teddy who had gotten back into the second bed around the corner. It was a spare double bed hidden in a small nook of the large room. “You okay, buddy?” 

“Tired. Is that stupid girl going away?” he asked yawning as he began to wiggle out of his clothes. Harry reached over and helped him out. 

“Probably soon.” He grabbed his bag of clothes, and handed him a large t-shirt. It was one of Micah’s shirts. Teddy liked the smell of wearing everyone’s clothes when he slept. It went down, passed his knees and covered him mostly. Logan came into the room with a knock as Teddy snuggled beneath the covers of the bed. 

“I bet this wasn’t what you were expecting,” said Logan. 

“Hardly, I’m thankful to be gay,” Harry muttered causing Logan to laugh. “Hermione and Luna would so not approve.” He shook his head. “They can be scarier than me.” 

Logan chuckled. “How is Jason? He seemed pretty upset when he left the hospital.” 

“When you have an arse for a parent, what do you do? You can’t choose who you’re related to.” 

“That seems very apt in this situation. You do see what’s going on here don’t you?” he asked, lowering his voice though it was likely Jason could hear every word. 

Harry nodded slowly and shifted to lean against the bed as Teddy curled on his side. “Oh yeah, you’d have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to see the truth, but until Jason brings it up, no way am I going there.” 

“Probably best. Really, blood hardly matters in the scheme of things.” 

“I agree, completely.” He stroked Teddy’s forehead for affect, and then set a silent muffling bubble around his bed so that no one could interrupt him. 

“You’re a witch?” he acknowledged. 

Harry laughed. “No. I’m a wizard, blooded. Most witches you’ve heard of run on psychic ability. It’s not in their blood. They call the elements outside into them to perform magic. It’s why they have that threefold rule; they’re taking from nature and the world around them. I’m not, everything I do is in me to do from birth. I’m a cocktail of things. A lot of weirdness in me.”

“And Jason? Is he a part of your relationships?” he asked, seemingly casual. 

Harry laughed. “No. Just really great friends, and I was the one in position to help him out here. You know, a master can’t just up and leave his city unless he wants it to potentially explode. It was a last minute arrangement. I couldn’t let him come here alone, and I’m kind of responsible for him. The preternatural culture is a little different to the human one. It’s taken me a lot of years to fully understand everything, and I’m still stumbling on two feet. But, it works. You know? He needs someone, and I can be that someone. He doesn’t see gender lines. If only more people could see things his way. He helps everyone else you know? He’s easily one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. Not a mean bone in his body.” 

“Seems you have a lot of respect for your friend.” 

“I do. I love all my friends. I grew up alone,” He offered as he walked toward the threshold and saw Jason trying to help Lisa dry her tears. Trish was sitting beside them on the couch now. “And in an isolated world, more isolated than this place.” 

“That’s hard to believe. I’ve been in Promise for four years. I thought it was an easy and out of the way place. So few people, and on the surface they all seemed like good people… but in the last year…” He didn’t say it, but Harry could hear the name, ‘Summerland’ on his tongue. “Some people can be bought, and it’s quite jarring.” 

“One of my lovers once said that everyone has a price. I think I managed to change his opinion on that,” said Harry. “Sometimes it is hard to believe that there are people out there who don’t have a price. Jason is one of them.” 

“I get the feeling you’re trying to endorse him to me.” 

“Maybe.” Harry grinned. “Is that a bad thing?” 

“Not really,” said Logan smirking. “How did you know I had interest?” 

Harry grinned. “Once upon a time I wouldn’t have noticed anything. But, I’ve come to know Jason really well, and you guys seemed to have good energy I guess. Plus, if someone makes Jason shy, then I know I have to look twice.” 

Soon the two of them were interrupted by Jason and the bride-to-be maybe or maybe not. Harry left the doorway so that she didn’t interrupt Teddy’s sleeping. 

She blinked pale eyes at him, and what makeup she had started the night with had streaked down her face making her look like she’d fallen into a tar pit. She had the same blue eyes as Jason. 

“I am so sorry!” It was the first thing she said. “Is your son okay?” 

“He’s asleep now no thanks to you. It’s nice to meet you, Lisa.”  _ Not _ . It was really hard to have pity. 

She blushed a bright pink color and looked down at the floor. “I am so embarrassed. You’re not going to call the police are you?” 

“I am the police,” said Logan, surprising her. “Luckily, I am in a good mood. If Jason and Harry say it’s fine. Then I believe them.” 

“Besides, you didn’t know I was back in town, and the reporter’s lied to you,” said Jason gently. “That’s on them. Not you.” 

“And I was drunk.” 

_ No kidding? _ “Just seems a bit strange that if they’ve been following these Summerlands around that they couldn’t tell the difference between Jason and him.” 

“They do look that much alike.” 

Trish came up beside them, and easily towered over them in her heels. Only Logan was taller than her. He stood like a strong defensive wall. Quiet, but there. Jason kept peaking glances at him every so often before settling his attention on Lisa. “I swear it’s like the Summerlands had triplets instead of twins.” 

Jason’s face had gone very neutral. “Yeah, everyone intermarried a little too much in Promise.” 

“What kind of town is called Promise anyway?” Harry asked curiously. 

“It means Promise to God. That was the full name,” Jason told him. “But later it got shortened to Promise.” 

“The school is still called Promise School,” said Lisa. 

“You can still get free tuition if you can prove your ancestors came in with Jedidiah,” Jason offered. 

“Your mother?” Harry guessed the obvious. 

“Mine, and Lisas, and others,” 

“Seems weird, huh?” asked Trish. 

“I wish I could say it is, but where I come from intermarrying was normal. Bloodlines needing to be preserved and all. It was a very big deal. For instance, I am Teddy’s godfather, but on a technicality he is a cousin somewhere in the line. Both our lines crossed many times. It’s why I carry the name Black along with Potter. Black was famous for it. My godfather was a Black. Teddy’s grandmother was a Black. So yeah, I get it. My dad married an outsider.” _ Thank Merlin _ . 

Logan chuckled quietly as if he heard Harry’s stray thought. 

“Can I use your bathroom?” Lisa asked. 

“I’ll take her,” said Trish when Jason nodded. 

Once she and Trish disappeared, Logan had a curious expression on his handsome face. “You know, I can’t help but question why opening your robe told her that you were Jason when she didn’t believe it before.” 

It was a great day when Jason actually flushed. “Ah, you saw that did you?” 

“I wonder that too. Is there a size difference?” Harry asked curiously. 

Jason laughed some more. “No, it’s uhm, the fact that I shave. I was in plays, musicals, and theater in school I had to shave so that no body hair showed in costumes for dance recitals. I didn’t start shaving completely until after I started stripping. I got enough grief from the other guys about what I did shave. I can’t imagine what they would have said if I’d shown up as smooth as I am now.” He shook his head. “I liked parts of high school, but others sucked.” 

“I think everyone can relate to that,” said Logan. 

Harry did not want to let Peterson and Chuck back into the room at their knock, both were accompanied by two more guards in gray suits and they had ended up having some sort of fight. Both of them were pissed at each other. It was there in the way they spoke to each other, the set of their body language, the way their eyes worked when they had to look at each other. 

The point of contention seemed to be something to do with them or maybe Lisa. Trish had helped her out of the bathroom; she looked pale, but better. She’d even brushed her hair and put it back in a neat ponytail. 

“I’ll take Lisa back to the party,” said Trish. 

“Good idea,” said Harry, relieved to be having his room once again. It was a shame that the sex had been interrupted. He hated to admit that even through all this drama, his body was still a bit wired. He supposed that might be because he hadn’t fed his ardeur yet. Good thing his control had gained a lot of strength. 

But that was when Lisa grabbed Jason’s arm. “You have to come to the party!” she pleaded, and then she looked at Harry too. “Both of you! Please, most of my bridal party are girls from school, they’ll want to see you, Jason.” 

“I can’t go, but if Jason wants to, he can,” said Harry waving a hand. He certainly didn’t want to go either. But if Jason wanted to go and clear his head, then that was fine with him. 

Jason looked at Harry. “I can’t leave you in here, alone.” his eyes were darting discreetly to Chuck and Peterson who obviously didn’t like the idea. 

“I’ll go cuddle with Teddy in the spare bed, really. If you want to go. You should go and have a bit of fun.” 

“Please, Jason?!” Lisa bounced up and down, and most men were already glancing at her small bouncing breasts, though Harry noticed Logan wasn’t one of them. 

_ Score a point _ , Harry thought. 

“Sure, sure. But we need to get dressed first.” 

“Of course!” Lisa cheered, and she turned that fragile face to him. “But you will come?” 

It wasn’t on him what Jason wanted to do. Besides, it seemed like Keith was having fun, why couldn’t Lisa? 

Chuck on the other hand didn’t look happy. “This is a bad idea, Lisa.” 

She looked at him, and the one look told Harry two things. One, she didn’t particularly like Chuck; two, there was more force of will inside her than Harry’d seen so far. It blazed to life in those blue eyes, gave some color to her face that wasn’t embarrassment. 

“I say who comes to my party, not you, not my future in-laws, me!” 

He took a breath as if he’d argue before Trish stepped closer. “Let’s not fight.” 

Chuck frowned at her. 

Lisa said, “I’m not fighting; Chuck is an employee, you don’t fight with employees,” she said it, cold and hard. Harry wasn’t sure if that was a smart thing to say. If he was Mr. Fix-It, then he might need to fix her later. 

He looked at Logan, and the look on his face, while neutral, said the same thing. A tiny crease in his forehead as he watched the byplay. What was kind of amazing about Logan was the fact that as ruggedly handsome as he was, he was very good at blending in the background. He often got forgotten and to most people he didn’t feel like a detective or a cop at all. 

“Fine,” Trish said, almost too tired to argue. “Fine, but let’s get you back to your party. The other girls are going to wonder what happened to us.” Her tone of voice alone said that she’d been doing a lot of managing in the last few days. Harry wondered if Lisa had a drinking problem. 

Lisa wouldn’t let go of Jason’s arm. She gave him all the eye contact she had in those blue eyes. “You will come to my party, right? Promise me! You and Harry both, right?” 

“I said no, Lisa,” said Harry to the still tipsy woman. 

“It’s only one floor down,” Trish offered.

“Nah. I’m good.” He waved his hand. “Really.” 

Jason hesitated again at the idea of leaving the room without Harry. “Who is all going to be there?” he asked. 

“All the Jennifers,” and she grinned at this. It wasn’t quite his smile, but it was close. 

He grinned back. “All of them?” 

“All of them: Jen, Jenna, and JJ.” She grabbed his arm with both hands. “And Ashley, and Kris. Oh, they’ll kill me if you don’t at least come say hi.” 

“Okay. Let me get dressed, and we’ll be down. You sure it’s okay, Harry?” Jason asked once more. 

She let go of his arm and tried to grab his hand, but he quickly slipped it behind his back causing her to blink at him strangely. “Please, Harry? I know I’ve been horrible, and I’m really sorry. I guess it’s wedding nerves, but please let Jason come. Please?” 

“It’s his choice.” 

“You must think I’m a crazy woman,” said Lisa. 

“Yep,” said Harry honestly to the shock of the room though Logan looked away to smile. No one had expected him to be so honest with her. Trish’s mouth dropped, and Peterson’s blank face had a twitch in it. 

“But I’m not!” 

“You said it, not me. Just being honest,” said Harry. “I’m more than fine staying here.” He waved his hand, and then tilted his head. “I’m sorry to keep relying on you, but can I ask you-?” He trailed off feeling almost foolish asking if Logan would baby-sit Jason. 

“To monitor? No problem. I have nothing else to do tonight,” said Logan. “I’ll make sure he’s safe at all times. You have my word,” he said truly. 

“Thank you,” said Harry with a relieved nod. Harry refused to let the two suits stay in the room when they made mention of it. “Absolutely not. I do not trust anyone on the first meeting.” 

“But the governor-” 

“I don’t care if he’s the President, the Queen, or the bloody Pope. If they were standing here, I’d tell them to get the hell out too.” 

“Let’s go, you heard him,” said Logan in a sharp voice causing the two suits to look unhappy. “I’ll be waiting outside and then take you the location of the party.” 


	6. Chapter Six

Finally, the door closed with a sharp snap, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he placed his gun down on the table. 

“Is this okay?” 

“You want to go, don’t you?” 

“But, I can’t leave you.” 

“Why not?” Harry asked. 

Jason’s mouth opened and closed. “I don’t want to go down there on my own.” 

“Logan will take you.” 

“Yeah, about him, why did you ask him to escort me?” he asked, and there it was, the tell-tale blush on his cheeks. 

“I rather him than the others, I don’t trust them to try and play fix-it with you. That Lisa is already walking a fine line as it is.” 

Jason’s eyes widened. “You think they’ll hurt her? Surely, not! She’s right out in the public media. They wouldn’t dare, it would be madness.” 

“Yeah, and they love tragic accidents,” said Harry solemnly. “Sorry, been around Edward for a long time now.” He flopped down onto the couch, and tucked his legs behind him. “Go, Jason. Go and have fun. I’ll crawl into the bed with Teddy.” 

As Jason went to take a quick shower to wash off the sex, Harry headed toward the hidden nook where Teddy lay half asleep with his eyes fluttering. 

“Hey baby, sorry you’re still awake.” He stroked Teddy’s forehead and kissed his cheek. “Can I crawl in?” 

“Are you really letting Jason go alone?” asked Teddy shuffling over so that Harry could slip in beside him. Harry turned on his side and propped the side of his head up with his hand. 

“I am not leaving you here.” 

“Can I go?” asked Teddy. “Might be fun.” 

Harry laughed. “But things might get out of hand.” 

Teddy was thoughtful for a moment and then he smiled precociously making Harry arch a brow. “What if I wasn’t seen?”

“How would you do that?” Harry asked. 

“I might have brought your invisibility cloak.” His cheeks turned red, and Harry was stunned. 

“You brought my cloak? How did you get it?” 

“You left it when you almost died in my room. I put it in the drawer. I thought Dad would approve if I brought it and bad things happened, we could hide in it.” He looked at Harry’s face. “Are you mad?” 

Harry chuckled and kissed Teddy. “Absolutely not. No way, no how. You thought about safety, and that is always encouraged.” He snuggled his son who wrapped around him. 

“You smell.” 

“Unfinished,” Harry grumbled. 

“I know,” he giggled. 

Harry snickered, and squeezed him. “You know you might see a lot more stuff? This is different. It’s not between me and those we all love. No one loves each other in these kinds of parties, and things will be said and done.” 

“That’s okay. I understand, that girl is stupid and whoever everyone thinks Jason is, is also stupid. Just think of this like a learning experience. I’ll learn what not to do, right?” 

Harry couldn’t believe he was even considering this, and that was when there was a ring from his cellphone. 

He waved his hand allowing it to float into the room. He recognized Edward’s number, and quickly answered it with the speaker. “Hey Lover.” 

“Little Raven. You did not call us to check in,” Edward’s voice drifted through the room. 

“Hi Dad! Is Papa with you?” 

“Just got out of the shower,” Micah called over the line. “How are you guys? Everything okay there?” 

“Are you being fed properly?” 

“Uh, well, yes and no,” said Harry. “But nothing unmanageable. Jason sort of had his breakdown. Merlin, this place is… unbelievably weird even for me. One of the guys I talked to said it was like the movie Harper Valley PTA, whatever that is.” 

“Really?” Edward drawled. “How so?” 

Harry told them about Summerlands, and Edward knew the name Summerland, no surprise he always kept up with the news. But he had no idea that Jason was an identical copy of the Summerland’s twin sons. “Media has been exploding because of the wedding that is conveniently in town. Lucky for me, I made friends with the local detective.” 

“A special friend?” Micah teased. 

“Nope. No special friend here.” 

“He’s more interested in Jason,” Teddy sing-songed. 

“Yep, and I may be encouraging it a bit. I figure it might help out with things around here. We’re going back to the hospital tomorrow, but for now Jason has been roped into a bachelorette party with some old girlfriends.” 

“Are you going?” 

“With Teddy?” 

“LIke I said, I can hide! I have the invisibility cloak,” said Teddy. “I brought it just in case we needed to be safe! Did I do good, Dad?” 

“You did wonderful,” said Edward. 

“Yay!” 

Harry smiled at his son and threaded his fingers through his soft hair. “Yeah, he’s insisting on going with me so we can watch Jason together. I’m not sure about that.” 

“Why not?” asked Micah. 

“Cause it’s different, these are strangers who, I can tell, barely even like each other. It’s all about money and fame and it’s just… it’s not something I would promote him seeing. It’s different when it’s all of us. These people are  _ weird _ . Weird by my people’s standards. Weird by vampires standards. You’d have to be here to understand. It’s to the point I almost want to use the term freak, but I won’t.” 

“Wow, that’s bad,” said Micah. “You sure you’re okay there?” 

“Oh, we’re fine. Just a bit of family and small town drama. Nothing to shoot around here.” Except maybe Chuck, but Harry didn’t say it. “How is the hunt?” 

“Finished, come to find out he had three human thugs working with him. Pretty nasty types too. We took care of it,” said Edward. 

“That was fast.” 

“They were stupid.” 

“How did Peter do?” 

“He didn’t flinch and took out one of the human’s in mid-run. So he shot his moving target.” 

“Good for him.” 

“Everything’s being wrapped up and we’ll be leaving tomorrow. You sure you don’t want us driving out there?” Edward asked. 

“I won’t say no if you want to,” said Harry. “But, I don’t think there’s anything for you to shoot, except maybe Frank Schuyler; and I don’t think Jason wants us to do that. Merlin, he was a piece of work. Definitely a case of ‘what not to be’ lesson for Teddy.” 

“Go to the party,” Micah encouraged. 

Harry closed his eyes. He really didn’t want to, but he knew he should go and at least keep an eye on Jason. He wasn’t about to jump to conclusions on Mr. Fix-It Chuck with his men. He was a bit paranoid, but not quite at that level. Besides, he could handle one human man. He’d be a poor ass Equalizer if he couldn’t. “And here I was hoping to hide behind my son.” 

Micah laughed. “You shouldn’t do that.” 

“Why not? You do it all the time.” 

“Do as I say, not as I do.” 

“Oh don’t you be spilling those kinds of things at me. I’m already knee deep in the Promise to God land atop of Asheville’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Beautiful as could be, but the cult vibe is still being felt to this day.” 

After a round of ‘I love yous’ they hung the phone up, and Teddy threw the covers back. “So I get to go?” 

“Why are you excited?” 

“I’m bored of the hotel! I want to do something, even people watching will be fun,” said Teddy. 

“You are getting way too much like your, Dad,” Harry muttered with a half smile. 

“Is that bad?” Teddy asked. 

Harry shook his head. “Not at all. Come on, let’s at least get you some pants on. No one can see you, but it’s the fact of the matter.” 

Jason came out of the shower wearing a tight fitting baby blue tank top and a pair of well fitting blue jeans. 

“Looks like I’m going,” said Harry as Teddy ran into the room with a big smile. 

“Really? Teddy-?” 

“I’m going - erm what’s that Eencongnito word?” Teddy asked. 

“Incognito?” 

“Yes! Incognito!” He proved this by unleashing the invisibility cloak and sliding it over his body. It trailed way down to the floor and Jason flinched when he disappeared. 

“Whoa…” 

“He wants to people watch and I figure this is a good lesson in life on fucking yourself up,” said Harry with a pat to the shoulder and swaying off to the bathroom as Teddy came out from under. 

“What do you think?” 

“Shocking,” said Jason, and the two dived into conversation as Harry quickly made work of the damp shower, and then did a quick debate on clothes. 

He settled on a dark green g-string, and then tight fitting black jeans that had silver laces going up the sides. He plucked the silver snug fitting shirt from it’s folded pile and quickly slid into it before grabbing his belt and looping it around his waist. He chose black calf height boots and shoved a set of knives down into each boot. He could never be too careful. 

He mussed his damp hair, and then shrugged at himself before scrubbing his teeth, and finishing with some mouthwash. 

Jason let out a whistle when Harry came out. “Be careful, they might think you’re the stripper.” 

“That’s you, not me, and I don’t quite have the muscle for the women. Maybe if it was a bachelor party for a gay couple, sure.” Or someone tucked away in the closet. He knew his own appeal was geared more to male than female. A few women liked him, but that tended to be the eighteen to twenty-three crowd, and once they learned his real age they tended to back away. Not many women wanted a man looking younger than them. It seemed only the older ladies liked him being so young, the normal young ladies preferred them older. Like Logan or even Edward. 

Believe it or not, a lot of women liked Edward when they met him. He could pull off that good ol’ boy charm, and he came off as so harmless and even  _ dependable _ . It was one thing he’d always said about himself. He was dependable. 

Of that, Harry had no doubt. 

He and Micah were a feeding frenzy for men. Jean-Claude drew every gender no matter the age. 

Jason blanched when Harry reached for his gun. “You really think we need it?” 

“Just to be cautious,” said Harry. “I won’t brandish it. You won’t even notice it.” He snapped it in place on his belt causing it to melt away as if it wasn’t there at all. “See?” 

“A lot of Edward there,” Jason squeaked. 

“And that’s bad because-?” 

“It’s not. I’m just not used to seeing you so diligent about guns and stuff.” 

“Who do you think taught me?” Harry asked, bringing his two inch heels up to adjust the silver buckle. Sometimes it liked to get twisted. He pulled out the Deathly Hallows symbol to let it rest in view, and one last look in the mirror Jason opened the door. 

Harry cast a tethering charm over Teddy so that he would always know the boy’s location, and if he got too far away from him his wrist would heat up. 

Logan and Peterson were waiting with their backs against the opposite wall, and they were standing almost military-like. 

“I thought you weren’t going?” asked Peterson. 

“Change of plans,” said Harry. “Can’t let Jason get into too much trouble after all.” 

“And your son?” 

“He’s fine where he is,” said Harry. “Got a monitor on him, and I can move faster than a vampire if I have to,” he said showing his human teeth. Logan was quiet for a moment before he let out a chuckle that reached his eyes. “What?” he asked innocently. 

“Oh nothing. Shall we go have fun?” 

“I’m not sure if I call this fun, but if Jason does, why not?” 

Harry purposely paused as the elevator door opened, and he waved a casual hand that Peterson didn’t catch, and he felt Teddy slip in next to Jason. “Sorry, checking everything is in order.” 

As the elevator door closed, Harry couldn’t help but look at Jason. “So, how many of these girls are old girlfriends?” 

“All of them.” He grinned. 

“How many are old lovers?” 

“Most of them.” 

“You’re going to be trouble,” Harry quipped. 

“Yep,” he answered with that flirtatious smile he was so famous for. 

“This should be fun,” said Logan punching the button on the floor below them, and they began to descend. 

Peterson stepped out of the elevator first, followed by Logan. Teddy was in front of Harry with Jason making up the rear. 

Chuck and another suit were standing by the door of the room, and Harry noticed their dispositions had changed. They were acting even more serious than before. Harry kind of wondered if this meant that there was a threat on Keith Summerland’s life? If so, Jason and he looked enough alike that it could be a serious problem. 

It became clear now why these guys seemed so interested in them all. Great. Just great. He would definitely have to call Edward if he got more evidence of this fact. 

Chuck turned and gave Jason a look. It was neither friendly nor unfriendly, but it wasn’t a good look. It was more as if he were trying to see Jason, see what he was made of, and what it meant. Harry didn’t like it. It meant Chuck was thinking too hard about Jason. 

Chuck smoothed his jacket where it had bunched over his gun, and said over his shoulder as he moved past them for them for the elevator. “It’s your ball until I get back, Peterson.” 

“You aren’t technically my superior, Ralston.” Peterson did not sound happy with him at all. 

Chuck waltzed away from them like they weren’t even there. Another uniformed guard was holding the doors to the elevator open as if he’d been ordered to. “If you don’t like it, Peterson, call the governor, see who he thinks is in charge tonight.” 

Peterson’s face closed down, fighting for blankness, but his hands were flexed. Harry knew pissed when he saw it. What had happened between the two while they’d been upstairs? Now Harry was glad he had come. 

“Harry, please don’t use that look,” Jason whispered quietly under his breath. 

“What look?” 

“Like you’re about to go Edward on me,” he murmured. 

Harry turned and looked at him square in the eye. “I assure you sweetie that if you saw my Edward look, no one would be alive,” he breathed, but was aware that Logan caught it. He had good hearing. In fact, he kept glancing near Harry where Teddy was right beside him.  _ Could he hear Teddy’s footsteps? _ Harry wondered. 

“Probably true.” He kissed Harry on the cheek. “Thanks for coming. I know you didn’t want to.” 

“You owe me. You really owe me.” 

“You have about a half hour until the entertainment arrives,” Peterson said, entertainment like it hurt. 

“Are you kicking us out?” Harry asked. 

He shook his head. “I just assumed Mr. Schuyler would be more comfortable leaving then, but no, I don’t have any orders for when you leave the party, or if,” again, his voice said he didn’t like it. 

“I’m sorry if our coming to the party is a problem,” said Jason earnestly. 

Peterson looked surprised, but recovered himself. “I think you mean that. You may look like Keith, but you don’t sound like him.” 

The two suits at the door stiffened as if they weren’t used to Peterson being quite so honest. 

Jason gave him a bright smile. “That’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. I just want to flirt and be normal for a bit, you know?” 

It made Peterson actually smile, and of course that was how Jason was. He liked everyone happy if he could manage it, and he noticed that Logan noticed. 

Good. See the real Jason for a moment before he put on that flirtatious Guilty Pleasures persona. See the boy behind the facade. 

It was mayhem. Harry knew Teddy had to dart on the other side of Logan to keep from getting trambled when the door opened and a flock of blond women, who all looked like Jason’s sisters should have looked swarmed over him, squealing happy cries of “Jason, Jason!” They pulled him into the room, and he went, laughing. 

Harry made a noise. “Here we go. I’d much prefer men,” he hissed under his breath causing Peterson to stifle a cough. “It’s dangerous in there.” 

“Then you might like the entertainment being provided,” said Peterson. 

“Heh.” And then Harry straightened and looked at Peterson. “I hope the ramp up of security doesn’t have anything to do with a threat on this Keith Summerland’s life,” he said out of nowhere causing Peterson to actually flinch minutely as the suits’ eyes went wide. 

“Why would you think that?” 

“My job is to think of every possibility. I get the reporters and guarding against them, but what I don’t get is why they are here and not elsewhere with the real Keith Summerland. Makes me think he ran for it if he’s not around.” 

Peterson’s eyes sharpened on Harry. He must not have expected Harry to be so astute. 

“Is this true? Is there a threat on Summerland’s life?” asked Logan. 

“I am not at liberty to tell you that, detective. You don’t have clearance,” he said. 

Harry placed his hands on his hips, and narrowed his eyes into sharp pointed crystals. His face was devoid of actual emotions except the eyes. He knew it unsettled those around him, and the two suits were no exception. “Clearance will be the least of anyone’s worries if something happens to Jason.” 

He didn’t bother to wait on their reaction as he turned on his heel and waltzed right through the door and only stalled long enough so that Teddy could get in front of him. Logan was behind him with the two suits following behind. He would learn later their names were Rowe and Shadewell. 

Uniformed security for a bachelorette party? Yeah, Harry might look seventeen, but he wasn’t. 

“You’re very observant,” Logan whispered. 

“I have to be.” He and Logan looked very bizarre in the room full of natural blondes. 

The room was almost identical to their own, except for the decor. It was all white and golden-tan, much cleaner lines, less stuffy than their room. It was also more airier and through the windows which were still open to the night, he saw a balcony railing. The two groups of sofas and chairs were empty. There were presents on the glass table sitting in their sparkling wrappers. 

Harry could hear a multitude of giggles and knew it came from around the corner where, if it had been their room, the bedrooms lay. 

Harry moved to perch on the empty couch, and Logan stood beside him almost like a full on bodyguard. Shadwell was frowning. “What are you doing here, really, detective?” 

“Guarding,” said Logan. 

“Why?” 

“I asked him to,” said Harry, and he could feel Teddy sit down beside him. Good thing he was lightweight enough they didn’t notice the slight give in the sofa. 

“Is he paying you?” asked Shadwell. 

“Nope.” 

“Then-?” 

“Like I said, I wanted to,” said Logan. “He and Jason will have my full protection until they leave Promise. Is there a problem with that Shadwell?” Harry was surprised by the intense sharpness in Logan’s eyes, the air of command that tickled something inside Harry’s chest. It wasn’t sexual or attraction. Just something there that Harry could acknowledge and respect. 

Shadwell looked from Harry to Logan. “No, none at all.” Neither of them were convinced of this. Shadwell called out for Price and Sanchez. Two men came out looking like well groomed hot off the press military men. Neither were blond, both nicely dark, and other than skintone they were like all the other guards. 

“They wanted to show the man the wedding dresses,” said Sanchez. 

There was some ruler sizing going on between them. It was obvious that Sanchez was a lot more human than this Shadwell. Sanchez was about Harry’s height with flat shoes on, and he had small hands much like Harry. 

“Aren’t you going to go in there? Isn’t he your boyfriend?” asked Shadwell, his tone almost disgust. 

“Nope. He’s not my boyfriend. Just a good friend, but I am not into giggling women. I suppose I should go in anyways,” he drew himself off the couch casually with a shrug. “Heh.” 

“You have a ring,” Sanchez noticed. 

“Yep.”

Logan followed, and Harry felt Teddy right between them. He hoped Logan didn’t trip over Teddy’s invisible frame, but then Logan seemed to instinctively know not to walk too fast. 

Harry waltzed through the bedroom, Sanchez, Rowe, and Shadwell making up the rear behind Logan. 

Harry could see a metal folding screen that hid most of the bedroom from view. Shadwell went past the screen first, and suddenly they could see in. There was a storm of giggling, and deep blue something everywhere. A pale blue dress came flying through the air to land at their feet. 

Jason was lying on the bed in a sea of blue dresses and women. All of them blond, blue-eyed, delicate, and looked like cousins or closer. They were all out of breath, and lying or sitting like they’d just finished doing something strenuous.  _ No sex _ , Harry would have sensed that. The blue dresses near their faces made their eyes incredibly blue. 

Harry sat on the fainting couch since it was near the wall and gave him a view of the door and all the guards in the room. Logan once again at his side. 

Trish stood to the side of the little party like she had fled the bed when the fun started. She was standing behind Price. Harry didn’t bother to say anything. “You’re going to get them all wrinkled,” Trish said, trying to save them. 

“If we hang them now we can avoid it,” said one of the girls as most slid off the bed, and more started piling off and began to pick up the dresses to hang. 

That was when one of the women slipped off the bed and came over to him. Harry felt Teddy move in case he was sat on. Harry shimmied down just enough so that Teddy could slide in between him and the high part of the couch, and not get squashed. 

She was taller than the others, taller than Harry by several inches. But she still had a delicate Summerland bone-structure that all the others had. 

Harry could tell she might or might not be a dancer or in some sort of athletic sport with the way her muscles moved, and the color of her eyes were gold. She moved like a dancer, almost like a leopard. He should know. 

Jason bounced off the bed to catch up to her. He caught her hand before she got to Harry. “Harry, this is JJ. She and I were in dance together all through school.” 

JJ smiled. “Nice to meet you.” 

Harry shook her hand swiftly. “Same.” What else was he going to say?

If it wasn’t Hermione and Luna or a close friend in the Community, Harry was absolutely pants around women. He didn’t know what to do or how to act. He wasn’t trying to be judgy, but Merlin it was so hard these days. He had a feeling he had gained some of Edward’s judgmental nature, and he had to say he was quite unimpressed with this group of girls. 

He thought Jason could do better than this. He met the other two Jennifers of the group. Jen was a real estate developer or she worked for one. Jenna was a stay-at-home mom married to her high school boyfriend. They had two kids. Kris was about to graduate with her degree in architecture. She’d done most of the set design for the plays at school. Ashely was finishing up her student teaching. She was hoping to teach drama somewhere along with English classes. 

It seemed that Harry had been on point. JJ was performing with a professional dance company in New York City. Lisa had come home to work in her dad’s law office as a paralegal. He was the local lawyer for the Summerlands. What an ass her dad must be to not argue with the way his child was being treated by another man. Governor or not. Yeah, his judgmental side was out full force, and he kept his eyes cool and blank. 

There was a lot of talk that Harry had no interest in, and Harry was more than fine with it. Most were talking about plays they’d worked on, dreams they’d had, dreams they’d followed, ones that were lost.  _ Blah, blah, blah. _

Trish sat a discreet distance from Harry who remained sitting with his legs crossed, and lazily draping his forearms to his knees. 

Most of the happy room was starting to drink a little except for Jason. He wouldn’t drink for the same reasons most lycanthropes didn’t drink. It lowered inhibitions, and that meant it was harder to control. Harry’s pack had a rule, two drink limit for the first two years in the pack no matter the rank, and even then they were restricted to only ever drinking either at home or with a second sober and non-drinking shifter with them. 

Oh, and absolutely no drugs, end of discussion. Edward and Harry had to clean house last winter when an Alpha had gotten some of the submissives hooked on cocaine. They had done it in front of the Lupanar to set an example. Killed the Alpha, took the submissives and sent their arses to rehab. Since Harry was the acting Ulfric, he had no choice but to be harder on them. 

“Doesn’t that bother you?” 

“What?” Harry asked, he hadn’t touched his coke at all. Shadwell had given it to him, and he wasn’t about to drink it. 

“What he’s doing?” 

“Why?” Harry asked. “If he’s having fun that’s all that matters. Besides, it’s what Jason does. He’s always flirted so naturally, why would I stop that?” 

She seemed perplexed. “Doesn’t it make you jealous?” 

“Uh, no.” It was then that she seemed to notice the ring on his finger. 

“You’re engaged?” 

“Yep. didn’t I tell that to the reporter?” 

“I thought you were bluffing to get them to go away.” 

“Well, I did want them to go away, but bluffing? No. It’s legal these days you know.”

Trish’s eyes widened. “That’s not what I meant.” 

“Jason and I are fuck buddies, that’s it, and my men know everything. It’s no big deal.” 

Besides, thanks to the ardeur, Harry could sense desires and intent. He’d always had good instincts, so he supposed it was natural. His ardeur also had a habit of trying to transform everything sexual into love in it’s own way. Jean-Claude had been working with him so that he could control it without actually raising it. He knew that most of the women hanging all over him didn’t mean it. They were flirting, but not with intent. The flirting and the physical contact was an end in itself for most of them. Except for the bride-to-be. 

Not his problem. 

_ But, _ Harry’s mind trailed. Lisa was in desperation mode. She was desperate to fuck someone. It didn’t have to be Jason. Her need was the strongest of any over there, and it had an edge of panic to it. 

And it was this panic that his ardeur began to react to. It made his blood rush a bit more than it should have been. Logan rested a hand on Harry’s shoulder. 

“Okay there?” 

“Yes,” said Harry. At least he thought he was okay. Did Logan notice? Harry could smell the lust leaking out all around him from her. It was like whiffs of perfume, but female lust did not get him. It did not raise his ardeur into anything. But it did acknowledge it. 

Probably didn’t help the rush of blood that he hadn’t fed tonight. Shoot. Harry wondered what kind of education Teddy was suddenly getting. How he was feeling about it, but Trish was too close for him to ask him. He was probably getting bored, no doubt. Harry was sure bored. 

Jason caught Harry’s eye for a brief second, and that caused him to extract himself from the women, and came over to sit on the arm of the chair. He put his arm across Harry’s shoulder. “You okay over here?” 

Harry shrugged. “Bored,” he admitted. 

“Really?” He snuggled into Harry for a hug, and that made him wrap an arm around the younger man’s waist. He laughed, and then kissed Harry on the cheek as he rolled. Teddy must have moved just in time. “Upset with me?” 

“Why? I knew what you were planning this whole time. I wasn’t born yesterday.” 

Jason let himself slip down off the arm into the chair so that he just ended up on Harry’s lap. He took Harry’s undrunken coke with a practiced move of his hand. Probably something he did at the club to keep customers from spilling their drinks. He took a sip without asking and he leaned close enough to kiss him with a murmur. “Sorry.” 

Harry accepted the kiss, and tried to ignore the stir inside of him. “Don’t apologize to me.” He nuzzled Harry’s cheek, and then rolled his face right into his neck above the torc. It made a shiver climb down his spine. 

“Jason…” Harry hissed in a warning. 

“Sorry we didn’t finish earlier, Lupa,” he breathed hotly across Harry’s neck. 

“S’okay, Jason.” Harry pet him gently, and tried to ignore the stirrings. 

“Can you come over there with me?” he asked looking up at Harry with pleading eyes. 

“You know, if you two aren’t together what are you?” asked Trish. 

“Friends,” Harry and Jason said simultaneously. Not that it was any of her business. 

“Ok-ay.” She drew it out like they were mad, and Harry just ignored her as she got up from the couch and walked away. 

“You don’t want to be here, do you?” asked Jason, pulling back. 

“No, not really. But I won’t leave. You deserve to have fun, Jason. Go on.” 

“Not alone. Come with me?” Harry let Jason pull him up, and led him around the screen toward the hidden bed area where all the girls were getting even more tipsy. He ended up against the bed not quite sitting on it, but not off it either. Harry knew Teddy had moved with him. 

Some of the women tried to draw him into conversation and questions, Harry constantly rerouted it, and knew that his diplomacy was off game. He was starting to feel too warm in this claustrophobia of little blonde women. 

“So are you like Jason and bisexual?” asked one of the Jennifers. Harry thought it was Jen. 

“No. Gay. Completely.” 

“Really? Not even a hint of attraction for women?” JJ asked with a tilt of her head. 

“Nope.” 

“Kind of sucks, you’re gorgeous! How old are you?” 

“Be twenty-eight next month.” Gasps spilled around the room, and the guards nearby stared at Harry with multiple blinks. 

“Harry is very special to me,” said Jason rolling his face into Harry’s neck again. A lazy hand swept across Harry’s thigh. That got a good round of giggles, and mentions of how hot it was. Harry patted Jason’s hand and did his best to gently move it out of the danger zone. 

“So how long have you and Jason been together?” asked JJ. 

“We’re not,” said Jason and Harry at the same time, and the wave of confusion rounded on each similar face. 

“You sure act like you are!” This came from the even drunker Lisa. 

“We’re friends,” said Harry reaching his left hand out to pat Jason, only for JJ to shoot her hand out to grab his. 

“Holy shit, what a rock that is! You’re engaged?!” 

Lisa raised her head. “Huh?” 

Harry pulled away from her quickly, but wasn’t fast enough. His hand was exchanged by many small hands. 

“It’s huge!” 

“It’s beautiful.” 

“The diamonds are so sparkly!” 

Lisa was staring at it like it was an alien. 

Harry finally untangled his hand from theirs and closed his fingers into a casual fist to rest on his knee. 

“But, if you’re engaged why the fuck are you fucking Jason?” asked Lisa, her eyes going narrow. “Are you cheating on your guy like Keith is cheating on me?” 

“Lisa…” Jason raised his head with a frown. 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Nope. They know exactly who I’m fucking and where I’m fucking him.” 

“I’m the favorite,” said Jason, snuggling once again into Harry’s neck. 

“Jason… nah.” Harry playfully nudged him. 

“Sorry… can’t help it. You always smell good, I’ll be good,” said Jason, drawing away with a cheeky grin, but then it was like a lasso and he was drawn back into Harry’s side. 

“I don’t understand, how is your guy okay with it?” asked Lisa, still ruffled around the feathers. 

“I’m in a polyamorous relationship.” 

JJ smiled for real. “Really? Does it work?” 

“Of course, it’s worked for almost four years now,” said Harry. “Me and my men know where we stand, and Jason is special to all of us.” 

“Ah, shucks!” Jason’s eyes danced. 

“But, you can’t marry three men,” The one named Jenna pointed out. 

“Not in the normal world, but in my world I can. In fact, it is encouraged because of how few of us there are, it’s been shown that more in a marriage lead to more children being born in America. It’s perfectly legal, and the normal world has to accept it because my government runs next to yours in perfect tandem. It’s a win-win situation.” 

“Besides, Preternatural relationships work much differently than human ones,” Jason said. 

“Jason here is my best friend, and I’m here for support in any capacity that he needs me in.” 

It seemed that most of the women just didn’t understand, but JJ’s face had softened. “That’s so sweet of you.” 

“Are you a werewolf too?” Harry thought it was Ashley who asked. 

“No. I’m human.”  _ Mostly _ . Harry didn’t add. 

Lisa made to stand only to wobble from the drunkenness. Her little black dress’ straps kept slipping down her tiny shoulder. “I don’t quite understand that. How - how do you - I don’t get it.” 

“I can’t explain it to you. Every relationship is different and it’s personal to the ones involved,” said Harry flatly. He could feel the tension rising, the upset that Lisa felt, the desperation, the want and need, and also the spite. She had a spark of anger, and Jason frowned slightly at her. 

“Perhaps we should go, Harry?” Jason suggested. 

“Yeah, maybe it’s time,” said Harry getting off the bed. 

“Wait, no! Don’t go Jason, please!” She stumbled across the floor toward them. “Please, stay! Please!” 

“Lisa…” said Jason gently. “I can’t have you lashing out at my friend, Lisa. You know how I feel about friends. I’m not Keith and neither is Harry.” 

“I - I know that,” she squawked with a sniff. “Harry, please.” She reached for him but he drew back. 

“Please don’t touch me,” said Harry holding his hands up gently. 

She drew back as if stunned. “Do I disgust you?” 

“I don’t like the smell of alcohol much,” He lied. Plus he wanted to keep his hands free. 

“You do smell pretty strong, Lisa,” said Trish gingerly. 

“I’m sorry… you already think I’m crazy… how much worse can I get? It’s no wonder Keith is doing this to me!” Lisa’s tears began again causing all the girls to circle around her to console her. She tried to get closer again, way too intimate only for Harry to back up as she staggered toward him. “Please don’t think so awful of me. I didn’t mean… I just… I’m sor-” but she didn’t get to finish because her slim legs gave out from under her as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. 

Harry could have caught her. His reflexes were extremely fast, but in an effort not to grab onto the woman and expose himself as something special, Harry had let her drop. 

JJ and Jason responded swiftly, and helped her onto her back as Trish grabbed a blanket to put over her. 

“Lisa! Lisa!” 

Now, Harry wasn’t an arse, he could understand a broken heart quite well. He’d had his own fears over the years, and he understood that. But what he didn’t understand was that everyone seemed to know what kind of person Keith was. Even she knew from when they were in school, and so why oh-fucking why did she think it was a brilliant arse idea to marry him?

Money? Fame? Desperation? 

It wasn’t like she was a troll. She might look cookie-cutter like everyone else, but surely she could have said no to this twat of a Summerland? Fuck, Harry was determined that if he ever met this Jason-look-alike that he would just shoot him between the eyes and be done with it all. 

It was such an Edward thought, but since when was he wrong about these things? Harry had never met or seen the man, but he was now a right pain in Harry’s arse, and not in a good way.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween!

Jason and JJ managed to get her to the bed where she remained knocked out. Probably for the better. 

Many of the women were apologizing to Harry for Lisa’s actions. He accepted them, but he still wished to leave. That was when there was a knock at the door. Shadwell walked away to ask who it was. “It’s Chuck and the entertainment,” he said both like they were bad words. 

“You wanna stay or go?” Harry resisted sighing as he asked Jason who was looking sadly at Lisa. 

But he never got a chance to hear Jason’s response because hot and cold shivers began to gather at the very top of Harry’s spine. It then trailed it’s way, like Jean-Claude’s finger, right down his back. Jason must have noticed because he looped an arm around Harry’s waist and drew him closer as Chuck came through the door scowling. 

Harry went very still as things inside of him began to respond all at once. Behind Chuck was a gorgeous man. He was tall and tanned to a nice even brown with medium brown hair cut short on the sides. His eyes were gray, and looked almost white in the dark of his face. He was around six foot, built slender but with the bulk that a weight room would provide. 

He was wearing a white tux that gleamed against the tan, and made everything darker and lighter at the same time. 

Two uniformed guards came in next, carrying a large trunk between them. 

Both of them had tensed instinctively because that prickle of hot and cold energy flowed like a tongue out to lick at them as another man glided through the door. 

He was as tall as the first stripper, but with short curls that fell around his ears, so blond his hair was white. His eyes were blue with an edge of some other color dancing in them. Harry couldn’t help but wonder what it was. Green? Gold? Brown?

And then the cool energy came, and Harry staggered as Jason gripped him tight to keep him upright. 

Harry was always sensitive to preternatural, but it must have been doubly worse since he’d gone more than a day without being in the presence of the ones who lived at night. 

It was the last dancer that held Harry’s attention, and caused something to clog into his throat. He was the same height as the other two, like they’d been chosen for it like a matched trio of horses. His brunette hair was almost black, but not quite. It fell in soft waves to his shoulders, framing a face that was more handsome than pretty, but it was a nice face. There was even a dimple in the chin and another at the corner of his mouth when he smiled at the room. 

He smiled delicately, so as not to flash fangs. 

Harry knew exactly who it was the moment their gazes locked, and the swirl in his eyes got more prominent as he zeroed in on Harry for the briefest second. He was the vampire that pretended to be Jean-Claude in Vegas. 

“The universe hates me, Jason,” Harry breathed and barely let his mouth move as he said it. “You say I have luck? Yeah, well it goes both ways.” 

“I’m beginning to see that,” said Jason. 

His name was Lucien, and he was the lead performer in a vampire strip venue in Las Vegas. The master of their city, Maximillian - Max for short, had petitioned Jean-Claude to allow him to do a Vegas show that was based on some of the acts at Guilty Pleasures. Some negotiations later, and they had their first spin-off show. 

Since of course they couldn’t have Jean-Claude, they found a vampire that looked like him. It was a good enough copy. Not like the original, but then what was? 

Jason began to trail a kiss along his ear causing shivers to start gliding up and down his frame. 

“You want to go?” Harry asked once more. 

“You don’t,” Jason acknowledged. “You perked right up the moment they entered.” 

“Shut up,” Harry grumbled quietly making Jason chuckle breathlessly. 

“We could go to our room and we can do this for real? Finish what was started.” 

It was then Harry realized that Teddy was still here. Shit! “Teddy…” Harry breathed. 

Jason froze. “Where is he?” 

“Right here,” whispered the tiny voice causing the man named Lucien and the other no-named to look around suddenly. 

“Stay hidden,” Harry breathed and pretended like he as telling Jason this. “Tired?” 

“No.” Teddy whispered. “It’s just getting interesting.” 

“Ssh…” 

That was when they were more than acknowledged, and the vampire glided like fog toward them. Jason stiffened with his arms around Harry who remained relaxed and curious. “Keith,” said the vampire. “I didn’t know you’d be here, and with a male of all things.” Lucian glanced behind at the bed of the still-unconscious bride. “Won’t her friends tell?” 

“He’s not Keith,” the white-haired dancer said. “He looks like Keith, but he doesn’t smell like Keith.” The dancer glided over to them, and started to circle like most weres tended to. That made Harry wonder how this guy knew what Keith smelled like? Had they met? Did he set this up as a distraction to his fiancé? What the fuck was going on? 

Shadwell and Rowe moved up to stop them, but Harry held up his hand. “It’s okay.” 

The dancer smiled at them when Harry said this. “You vampires, always relying on your eyes. Can’t you feel it? He’s one of us, both are.” 

“Weretigers?” Lucien made it a question. 

“Hm,” the dancer said, and moved close enough to invade their space. He sniffed the air in front of them. “Wolf, and something…” he moved closer, and Harry didn’t tell him to back off. 

Merlin, the energy was nice, and something cool and hot was flowing beneath his skin, and the dancer’s eyes zeroed in as gold flecks spiraled along the edge of the blue in his eyes. “Huh…” His heat was startling and drawing Harry in. “What are you? You’re male, but…” 

Harry chose that moment to place his finger on the weretiger’s lips to keep him from speaking anymore. “Ssh.” 

“If I bite you?” 

“I’ll bite back,” said Harry leaning forward out of Jason’s arms a bit. 

The man smiled at him when he said this. “Interesting… the night has gotten interesting, Lucien. Are you staying for the fun?” 

“No, they’re not,” said Chuck out of nowhere. 

“And why not?” asked the weretiger, turning his eyes fully on Chuck, and Harry saw the look. So very Alpha that Jason was squeezing Harry’s sides and he wasn’t even noticing. 

Harry’s beasts were all beginning to stir, but none more than the contentedly quiet tigress, and for the first time she peeked her head up over his soul to peer out at the creature. 

This man noticed, he noticed so quickly. 

“You’re being paid to entertain the bridal party, not our visitors.” 

Lucien was looking at him with a blank face, and the tiger gave him a speculative look as if not quite sure what to do with him. But there was an implication in his eyes that eating him was a possibility. Harry couldn’t help but think how interesting it seemed to be. It was a look that Zane often had when he was debating whether to eat someone who pissed him off. 

A flash of orange and a flash of gold played around inside of Harry like an endless loop making his temperature rise ever hotter. The reason for this was because when it came to tigers he held more than one thanks to Mother of All Darkness and Soledad. 

Harry’s Deathly Hallows now acted as a barrier against the First vampire. For now she was still mostly asleep in her room in Europe, but she was cognitive in dreams and could temporarily form from those she had created. Her strain of vampirism was old enough that both vampire and lycanthrope existed in the same body. 

“Isn’t he part of the wedding party?” the vampire, Lucian asked. His voice tried for that emptiness of the very old, but didn’t make it. He was younger than he was trying to play. A lot of younger vampires tried to play older. The more they tried to pretend the younger they looked. 

“No, they aren’t part of the wedding party,” said Chuck. “That man is an old high school friend of the bride and this is his-” 

“Friend,” Harry and Jason supplied. 

“Just a friend of the bride’s?” Lucien said, and let his voice hold his doubt. 

“I’m a very distant cousin of the Summerlands,” said Jason. 

Harry thought it was very interesting that he didn’t give their names. In fact, he introduced them as blandly as possible. Hm. 

“You look like a close cousin,” the weretiger said, keeping close to Harry and tilting his head from side to side as if trying to figure him out. 

Harry’s beasts reacted to it as they began to prowl aimlessly around inside of him like a glimmer of red-gold and a swirl of palest yellow-gold. They, more than all the others, seemed to hide in the deepest depths of his soul. None of them had ever been active much. A glimpse and feel here and there before they were gone. It was usually the leopard and lioness these days that was most active. 

“My name is Crispin. Yours?” asked the weretiger. 

“Harry,” said Harry, taking a sharp breath, and almost doubling over when the scent of tiger washed beneath his nose. His eyes began to widen just a bit, and he knew they’d gotten brighter as Crispin continued to move closer to him. 

“What are you?” 

“Cocktail,” Harry answered, and ever so slowly he felt like he was drowning. He was drowning deep into the depths as the pacing of the tigress continued. It’s padded paws and the click of it’s nails echoed. 

Crispin got so close that their noses were an inch apart, and their eyes stared into each other. He brought his palms up to touch only for Jason to block them. 

“You should ask first,” said Jason, his voice holding a touch of heat. “Harry… Lupa,” he breathed quiet enough for only Crispin to catch. 

“It’s okay.” 

“No, it’s not. You haven’t fed today,” Jason seemed to only realize. “Shit, what have I done? I’m going to be killed for this…” 

“I better go,” said Harry trying to drag his mind and his tigress away from the staring Crispin. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it. You have to be the first of the kind. How? How is this real?” Crispin asked. 

“Beats me,” said Harry, and then he blinked as if something inside of him seized his tigress by the back of the neck to pull it back. 

Jason pushed Harry by the small of the back. “We’re going. Please let us pass.” But Harry stopped when Lucien stepped aside, and Harry tilted his head at him. 

“What is it, sweetheart?” asked Lucien. 

Harry couldn’t help himself, he reached up and stroked Lucien’s cool pale cheek, and was aware of the vampiric gaze that stretched over him. It took a lot not to let Lucien draw him in. Not in a roll or any of that, but to move closer.

He let go, and gained his foot as he held out his hand to the invisible gentle weight against him. Crispin was now looking down at the invisibility by Harry with what seemed to be confusion. 

Logan was on them, and his shoulders were tense. “Alright?” he asked in concern. 

“We need to leave,” said Jason keeping hold of Harry from behind.

Harry’s movements felt heavier than they needed to be, and he could feel the endless looping stirrings inside of him. He knew he was rising in temperature, he could feel the heat gather at his face and neck. 

He was aware of Crispin right behind them, having followed only for Shadwell, Chuck, and Rowe to take up their rear. 

All the other guards remained behind as Logan and Jason got him to the elevator. He didn’t notice Logan leaving the elevator door open longer than necessary before they were enclosed behind the silver doors. 

“What the hell was that all about?” Chuck finally asked when Logan punched the numbers. 

Harry couldn’t quite focus, and leaned heavily into Jason who was pressing his wrist to Harry’s face to smell him. 

“He’s extra sensitive to the preternatural. He’s an Animator, and sometimes his abilities make him hit the radar as one of us sometimes.”

“What abilities?” Chuck persisted. 

“He raises the dead, and that stripper back there was fresher than he’s used to being around,” said Jason, and Harry was impressed by how easily he let things roll off his tongue because that wasn’t it at all, but he did nothing to argue the reality. “It means he tugged on Harry’s abilities, drawing him in. You can’t be an expert in the Preternatural without these abilities. At least, you can’t be a good one. Harry is a Federal Marshall and by law a legal vampire executioner. He’s also one of the best in the country. It helps him do his job, but it can also be alarming when he doesn’t expect it.” 

“And the other?” asked Shadwell. 

“I’m a lycanthrope,” said Jason calmly. “All that guy was doing was trying to mess with me by getting to Harry because I had Harry with me. It was part posturing like most human men do. It was a dominance game he was playing.” 

The humans didn’t get it. Logan’s lip twitched. “He wanted to take Harry away whether he really wanted to or not, just because he wanted the challenge.” 

They didn’t look like they believed them, but Jason nodded. “Yes sir, that’s exactly what happened. I’m not the most dominant in the structure, and Harry here is considered very strong with his metaphysical abilities. One of the strongest out there, and so he naturally draws preternatural creatures. It’s like when you guys see a beautiful woman, but then another man approaches her before you can.” 

“He ain’t a woman,” Rowe pointed out. 

“Preternaturals are very fluid,” said Jason. “All of them have high sexual drives, and a need to own something. Gender makes no difference. Just like you use your eyes, a lycanthrope will use his sense of smell, and Harry has always smelled good to us. I just need to get him to the room where it is quiet.” 

Harry’s blood by now was rushing, and the heat beneath his skin raised the goosebumps making Jason squeeze him around the waist. Getting out of the elevator, and to the door was a trial, and Harry was hardly aware of the argument coming from Logan and the men. Harry didn’t bother to make any sort of comment as he shoved the card into the slot, and pushed the door open. 

Jason turned. “You guys have to leave.” 

“We can’t-” 

“Our orders.” 

“I don’t care what your orders are. I am not Keith Summerland, but I have to help Harry get rid of this, and it’s way too weird for you to be around when it happens. You’re way too human to understand, so now go! Leave us to whatever fate Keith Summerland got his stupid ass into.” 

“I’ll deal with them, you help Harry,” said Logan. 

Harry collapsed onto the fainting sofa. He ignored the men in the room as the haze of lust and bestial awareness swam through him, and threatened to arise the ardeur. 

“Parrain?” Teddy appeared so suddenly that it had caused many to flinch. “Parrain, are you alright?” 

“I’m okay, baby…”

“Where did he come from?” Chuck demanded. 

“Out!” Logan barked, and something in the air began to tingle and pull on Harry’s senses, but it was clouded by hungers, clouded by tigers deep inside of him writhing against the hold on them. All of them wanted to get out and get free. He could see into their faces. So many eyes, and so many coats. Coats that didn’t make sense. 

Somehow, Logan managed to get the men out of the room when Jason moved swiftly to stand in front of Harry. “What are you?” Jason growled. 

“Jas…” Harry tried to croak out, but couldn’t seem to finish. 

He saw from around Jason that Logan held up his large hands. “I am not an enemy, Jason. I assure you.” 

Jason’s back rippled with muscles. “You’re not human.” 

“No. I’m not,” said Logan calmly. “Can you step aside? I’d hate to have to order you.” 

“As if you-” 

“Move!” Logan ordered causing Jason to lurch forward in compulsion. 

“No!” Jason fought as he doubled over to resist the pull. “I have no tie to you. Harry wants me to stay, I stay. I’m his, not yours!”

“Move,” Logan ordered again. “Step aside, Little Wolf. Let me see your Lupa.” 

Jason clenched his teeth so hard. “I- can’t. I’m not just a Little Wolf, whatever you are. I’m the pomme de sang to Master Jean-Claude and Harry is my Lupa. Not only that but he is my best friend, and so nothing… not even our old Ulfric... could get me to move.” 

“Commendable, Jason. It’s why I started following you around. It’s why I chose to guard you as if you were both my own,” said Logan. “I swear on my honor as a detective and what I am that I have no intentions on hurting your Lupa. Please let me see him.” 

“I think he’s okay, Jason,” said Teddy. “Please let him help, Parrain. I can taste his truth. He’s not lying.” 

“Teddy…” 

It was all Logan needed. He passed Jason, and bared right down on Harry. 

“Look at me,” ordered Logan, and Harry instinctively turned his eyes onto the dark ones. That was when Logan released whatever shield he’d been holding onto. 

Jason staggered to his knees, and Harry let out a moan when the strong musky scent of wolf chased his tiger back and brought out his wolf. She raised her head and deep green eyes pierced through him to feel the power of an Alpha and more. 

“You’re a wolf?” 

“Yes.” 

“How?” Jason gasped. “How did you get passed us? Passed Lupa?” 

“I am a born wolf, Little Wolf,” said Logan. “We are taught from birth how to control our energies. How to live in this world manned by humans.”

“What pack do you belong to?” 

“No pack. Just a family, Little Wolf. We live in neutral territory until we turn twenty-five, and then we are encouraged to go out and seek the world once our control is perfect. I admit to have expressed interest in a few packs in the past, but none have fit my tastes. I suppose I am not as bloodthirsty as some are. I did not live the harsh lives that some of you have lived.” All this time he was still surveying Harry, running his energy up and down Harry’s body causing his eyes to flicker and making the wolf inside take center stage. “Your wolf is hurt. If you bring it out, then she can heal.” 

“Doesn’t it surprise you that his wolf is a she?” 

“It’s rare, but I’ve seen it before. I’ve seen women with male wolves, I’ve seen men with female wolves. It happens more often with natural borns. He has the disposition of a natural wolf. As though he were born to it, but I take it he’s not?” 

“No. Harry - Lupa is unique,” said Jason. “He collects strains, but he can’t turn, and so sometimes when dominants come around that he doesn’t expect it raises one of his, particularly if they’re unmated. His wolf doesn’t have problems these days, the wounding is not… physical,” said Jason, and then he bowed his head shamefully. “Our Ulfric abandoned us last winter. Abandoned our Lupa. Our pack was so perfect. So happy and family… all five hundred, and he just leaves. He was arrogant and selfish, wishing to be human. He chose others over his pack. He chose others over our Lupa. Harry is… everything to our pack. Absolutely everything. He saved our pack… he protected us. He did everything for us… and my Ulfric just… abandons us.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Logan solemnly. 

“His tiger is new. He was attacked last winter around the time our Ulfric left, and he houses the tiger strain. He’s never met a male tiger of any kind, and I was stupid. I forgot to feed him.” 

“Feed him?” 

“He is the human servant and lover of Jean-Claude. He has Jean-Claude’s abilities, including something called an ardeur. He has to feed on lust.” 

“I see.” 

“I was stupid, I dragged him to a party that was high on sexual energy, and I haven’t fed him.” 

“I’m okay. I’m alright. It’s not the party that did it,” Harry heaved trying to get his mind back in order, but the heat. Oh Merlin! And then Logan touched his neck with two large hands, and his eyes rolled as the wolf leaped through him. 

“It was Crispin,” said Jason. 

And just the name spilling out of Jason’s lips was enough to push the wolf away and bring the tigers forward. It wasn’t just one superimposed tiger over the pale gold one now. It was like looking at triplets. Colors of stripes, and one that looked like a shadow of the others, so dark, all rolling through his soul and pushing the wolf back. It was a rainbow of tigers that eased closer to his face, they sniffed and checked him out. 

“I can smell the tiger, tigers? He has multiple?” 

“It was a bad attack,” said Jason standing up and coming over to Harry. “Lupa, Lupa, think of your wolf, Bring the wolf out.” 

“I can’t- I can’t- they’re too strong, too many of them!” All of them rolled through his soul and pressed against the metaphysical walls as if trying to push their way out. He could feel each of them, distinct in shape and markings. 

“Let’s get him to the bed,” Logan lifted Harry bridal style in his arms like he weighed nothing and laid him down on the large bed behind the fainting sofa. 

Harry moaned as the tigers all began to rub up against him, all of them. At the same time Harry felt and heard a sound call through his body, and Jason and Logan scrambled on each side of him. Both trying to get their scents into him and bring the wolf back, but there were too many. Way too many. 

He needed… 

Every single tiger inside of him began to roar out causing him to convulse as his spine bowed. Logan and Jason pinned him to the bed. His spine vibrated, and his need became desperate. Call. Call. It called out in all directions. 

A come hither feeling cast around him, and he seized Jason’s arm when there was a loud thump in the distance. 

Logan had to get up because Jason was being held by Harry. He mouthed something that Harry couldn’t hear, and then the door opened and Harry felt him. 

It was Crispin, the white haired stripper. He must have done his dance already because he was wearing nothing but an iridescent g-string. His muscles rippled beneath his skin, and Harry moaned as the man came to his side. All of his tigers looked up at the lone weretiger, and then things stilled making the buzz in Harry less pronounced. 

“Is it better?” Jason’s hot breaths played on his skin, and he thought he might have nodded but he couldn’t tell. 

“Yes,” he said in a hoarse whisper. 

“I heard your call,” Crispin said. “I had to answer it. What do you wish of me?” 

And Harry knew of only one way to end this panic, and that was when he rose up like a great cat and pulled Crispin in for a long deep kiss. 

Crispin’s body folded around Harry and drew him closer. He tasted like a hint of sweat and clean tiger musk. It made his cats purr as they rubbed silkily against Crispin making him moan. His muscled arms locked around Harry’s small frame and their bodies began to move. 

“Give it over, give it to me,” Crispin hissed, and so Harry did. He let the white tiger flow up through his chest to his throat, and it spilled into Crispin’s mouth. The man began to change. His beast flowed so beautifully, the fur across the muscles, the muscles getting larger, his face transforming, and Harry remained locked in this position until Crispin stared down at him with a face gone white and fur covered. His eyes were still there, but the rest of him was that graceful half-man half-cat shape. Much like a leopard or a lion, but different. The proportions were different, bigger, a little less human in the head shape, and a little more tiger. 

There were brown stripes on the white fur, narrow but there. He wasn’t completely white like the tiger in Harry’s vision. He stared down at Harry with the blue eyes that he’d had all along, as if his eyes never changed, the way Micah’s leopard eyes were always in his face in whatever form he chose. 

“Good boy,” Crispin purred with a stroke down Harry’s face and rubbing up against him. 

His half-form was longer, more muscular, and edged by the white and pale chocolate striped fur, but the skin revealed was pale and human-looking down the center of his body. The wolves seemed to be furrier in half-form than the cats he’d met so far. His gaze traveled down the beautiful body lying stretched out on his side. Everything was big - bigger even. He was lovely, and Harry’s shaky hand began to caress the taut muscles and Crispin eagerly responded. 

Logan was sitting at the foot of the bed, and Jason had come to join him so that the process didn’t get interfered by the wolf. 

“You should go for this next part,” said Jason trying not to flush at the look from the dark eyed Alpha. 

“Why?” 

“He will unleash his ardeur, he has to,” said Jason. “And when he does you will not be able to control yourself and what happens next.” 

“What about the child?” asked Logan, concerned. 

“Teddy understands. He’s gone to lay down in the other room once he saw Harry and Crispin together. He’s seen Harry and his Papa pass their beasts over so he will know. Lupa has always been open and honest with him. He knows everything he can possibly know even at ten years old.” 

“That’s why he’s so smart and happy. He was right to do that. Teddy is not human. He is a were - a natural born. I detected it almost immediately. It’s how natural wolves tend to take care of their young. You teach them young so that they are strong and at their best. No shame. No ridicule. Sex is as natural as breathing from birth. What happens when he releases this ardeur?” 

“You’re going to fuck someone,” said Jason. “So if guys aren’t your thing…” 

“Men are lovely,” said Logan. “I don’t mind either or, fluidity after all. Truthfully, I never had much sexual appetite like my brothers and sisters. It’s not as strong as some. My father believes that’s why I have such tight control on my wolf. I may be ruled by instincts, but I’m not ruled by sex. I suspect that Harry’s natural wolf comes from his son Teddy,” he theorized. 

“Good as any theory. If you are staying you might want to strip.” 

Logan’s lip twitched. “Are you trying to get me naked?” 

“Yes,” said Jason shamelessly. “Unless you want to walk out of here with no clothes on, the ardeur has a habit of making us rip everything off. As you can see, Lupa and I aren’t exactly your size to be letting you have clothes that fit.” 

That was when Jason began to crawl up the bed, Crispin let out a growl, but Harry stopped him. “Don’t.” Harry reached for Jason who curled around him. 

“Are you better Lupa?” 

“Much…” 

Crispin pulled back out of Harry’s embrace with confusion. “How are you one of us? Your tiger was white, and we are the only white tiger clan in the United States. You should be one of our…” He stopped. “Not female, but you smell like female. I don’t get that. But, you must have survived an attack, but it can’t be one of our clan. We would never do that. It’s against the law of every clan to bring someone over against their will.” He went back to frowning. “And when our master says to attack, it is for killing. We don’t leave survivors,” he said easily as if he knew he could confess all his sins. 

“He’s more than a tiger, Crispin,” said Jason who nuzzled into Harry. 

“What do you mean by that?” 

It took Harry a moment to understand what Crispin was saying. “You’re one of Max’s tigers right? From Las Vegas?” Harry broached, trying to stamp down the hunger of lust. It was right there on the edge, and it was ready to spill out and the men around him weren’t helping him any. 

“Yes,” said Crispin. 

“Max knows what Harry is and isn’t. If he didn’t share that with you, it’s probably not something he wants shared with you. Nothing personal, but I think my master would have to talk to yours before we could explain.” 

“Are you hinting that he’s not a weretiger?” 

“The humans say a picture is worth a thousand words. We know a smell is worth a hell of a lot more.” Crispin nodded at this, and Jason smirked. “Harry bring your wolf to smell.” He then kissed Harry causing the stirring of his wolf to peak up. 

Crispin drew back completely. “What?” He leaned in and sniffed Harry. “Female wolf?” 

That was when the testosterone began to rise Crispin began to glare at Jason and vice versa. He could feel the dominance act, the need to own, the energy in the room rising. “Everyone play nice,” Harry panted. 

“Yes, I implore you to do just that,” said Logan calmly at the end of the bed. 

Crispin didn’t look happy. “Among our people, the female mates with only one male. It’s all about competition.” 

Harry snorted. “Then you’re looking at the wrong person. I’m not a female, my animal is, but I’m not, and I so don’t do monogamy.” 

Jason swallowed a laugh. “He’s right. He’s engaged to the Master of the City and two other men, Crispin. He’s well loved by our community. He’s more than a tiger. More than a wolf.” 

“That isn’t possible.” 

“It is. I’d ask him to raise his lion for proof, but let’s not get something started. She’s a bit feisty,” said Jason. 

“She’s mad because I won’t take Haven,” Harry grumbled. 

“Are you not compatible?” asked Logan. 

“He’s a human thug,” said Harry with a wrinkle of his nose. “I may have shades of gray in me, Logan. Enough to understand when human laws should stay out of preternatural affairs, but even my brain can’t escape the human criminal element that he possesses.” 

“Understandable,” said Logan with a nod.

“He can’t be all of these things. That isn’t possible! I’ve never heard of such a thing.” 

“When it comes to my Lupa, anything is possible. He’s not only my Lupa, he’s the wereleopards Nimir-Ra, and technically the Regina of the Pride in St. Louis.” 

“Your master is Jean-Claude?” Crispin realized. 

“Yes,” both of them answered. 

“You shouldn’t be possible… you smell and taste like a little queen.” 

“A what?” Harry scowled. 

“A little queen. It’s what the dominant females in our clan are called. Little queen means dominant females that are strong enough to eventually break away from the clan to start their own. If the clan queen would allow it. If not, she kills the little queen or has her killed. After she’d bred at least once. But, you can’t breed… this is all too confusing.” 

“I don’t think the tiger lifestyle is for me.” 

“No, no it isn’t,” Jason agreed. “And now, the talk has to come to an end. We have to have sex.” 

“What?” Crispin said. “With him?” 

“He’s my best friend and my wolf,” said Harry. “And yes. I do. I have to release the ardeur and feed.” 

“My master mentioned the ardeur, and that Jean-Claude’s servant housed it, but he debated the validity of that claim. You’re saying it’s real?” 

“As real as you are,” said Jason. “Now. You can go.” 

“I’m not going anywhere. He called me. I have to answer,” and he pushed his face into Harry causing the tigers to begin stirring. 

Jason yanked Harry and slammed a kiss to his lips, and received a low growl from Crispin as the wolf began to tumble and follow amongst the rainbow of tigers. 

“You gave me your beast.” Crispin pulled Harry from Jason’s clutches, and rolled them so that Harry ended up pinned. “You can’t walk away from that so soon.” 

“Get off him!” Jason snapped. 

“No.” 

Harry moaned. “Please stop, fighting!” But he could hardly speak when Crispin came down on him with his mouth to his throat. Harry arched and his ardeur sprang to life like liquid lava, and it washed through the room in a heavy amount of waves as his hands gripped Crispin’s furred muscles, and moaned at the sexual hunger that poured out of Crispin. 

“It’s been a long time since I was able to fuck a male. Our Queen forbade it, and now I have an excuse,” Crispin rumbled. “To roll inside of you.” Harry’s eyes rolled as the words reached inside of him like a delicate brush of velvet, and all of the tigers nestled inside reacted at the same time. The ardeur opened the room up wide and prepared to swallow it whole. 

That was when Logan grabbed Jason, and folded his fingers into the younger man’s blond hair and drew him strongly to him. Jason didn’t fight it, the smell or the scent as the Alpha came down upon him with a rage of lust, and their lips were fighting as Jason fell onto his back beside Harry with Logan coming down on top of him. 

It was hot and heavier than Harry meant for it to be, so much super-charged energy in the room that Harry’s ardeur spun in a wild mixture. Wolves and tigers ran through him, and Crispin shredded the clothes on his body. Logan was entirely wrapped in Jason, and Harry moaned at the strong muscled weight of Crispin. His thighs were thick, strong, and furred and Harry’s fingers raked down them to squeeze his extra large genitalia. It had nubs much like a wereleopard, and thick ringed ribs. 

_ Hunger. Hunger _ . Harry’s eyes bled, and he let out a snarl as he overpowered the dominant tiger, and flipped the tables, sending him backwards as Harry began to crawl across him. 

“Oh fuck yes!” Crispin cried out as Harry’s mouth buried into Crispin’s crotch, and began to lick thick wet strips along his swollen balls to the large erect cock that stood straight and ready. There was a slight curve at the tip and Harry licked and lapped as the ardeur flowed. He used the edge of his teeth to tease the skin, and sucked at the clear dribble from the swollen large head. He rolled his tongue and had Crispin pumping out early, hot streams of white cum flowed into his mouth and down his throat. He never went flaccid, remained hard as he cried out, his clawed hands raking through the sheets of the bed. 

Jason moaned beneath Logan’s touches as the super-charged air blew hot, and arousal latched onto all bodies available. It clung to the walls and the fabrics in the room. It slung itself like a great sword and sliced at it’s targets. 

Clothes were ripped and shredded from their bodies. Logan and Jason had moved over Harry, one sank their fingers into his hair and gripped him as he devoured Crispin, the other ripped the black jeans from his body in a swift clawed motion. 

Mouths sank in various locations. Bites trailed, and tongues sucked and pulled at sensitive skin. Jason moaned and Logan let out a restrained growl. 

Harry lost time, but he was aware of Crispin above him, his fat were-cock sank into Harry’s soaked entrance at the same time he sucked and slurped at a large human cock lodged in his mouth. His eager nerves and the arousal spilled into his stomach and down into all regions of him making everything prickle. 

He sucked and fucked them, moving his body into so many different positions that he lost track of them. Crispin fucked him, thrusting hard and deep inside. Growls flew, and Harry’s slim body convulsed as the first wave of orgasms smashed into them all, the bed rocked and slammed into the back of the wall. Harry’s back bowed, and his hips rotated as he clawed up and down Crispin’s chest. 

Logan had Jason on all fours, his powerful hips beating into him and making his beautiful eyes roll. Jason’s face of pure pleasure, need, and release was absolutely stunning. Logan looked beautiful and strong. His glistening tanned skin and muscled rippled through him like a flow of water. 

Harry tilted his face backwards and captured Jason’s mouth. Crispin never stopped, stretching him and opening him so good. His lower body clenched and pulsed, the vibrations and the heat became smothering. So hot. So good. 

At some point another man joined them, Harry was in too much of a sexual haze to get a good look at him nor did he care. More bodies, more food to feast. Tiger. He tasted, but he felt him when he was placed on his stomach. He felt claws, he tasted mouths. He felt bodies shifting into larger furred bodies, snarls, and growls. A growing sexual need as his creatures called out, and his ardeur fed and sucked. No one could stop. 

Nothing could stop them, and Harry and Jason were revolved. At one point, Jason had been in him, partially shifted to the point that his cock grew exponentially. A cock was shoved into his mouth, and he took it hungrily down his throat. Then he was taken by Logan. The power of an Ulfric, something he hadn’t felt in a long time, sank through him and he screamed out until he was hoarse, riding backwards on the offered cock. His beasts were as hungry as him. 

It was like his tigers and wolf had taken over every part of his body. His wounded wolf lashed out at Logan, drawing him in and making the man fuck him raw before claws gripped him and pulled him away only to be slammed into again by the unknown man who had wisps of auburn hair. Good enough for Harry to grip, and fist. Riding his cock, and moving into a cowboy position as if he were riding a horse. Crispin folded over his back, and two impossibly large were-cocks that made their way through him. All made possible by the ardeur and his own body and beasts’ wants. Large cocks. So very large, and they were draining inside of him, draining through him, and he still wanted more. He would devour. Devour like he was meant to, and the ardeur spun harder and faster than it ever had before. The last of anyone’s inhibitions were snapped in half like it was a thin dying twig. 

And all the while the Jasmine and rain that tried to wrap around him and control the pace was pushed back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 1 year posting anniversary! Chapter One of Carnival of Pleasure was posted on Halloween last year. :) We're sending virtual candies to our lovely readers. Special Kudos all of those who have been with us on this journey since the beginning!


	8. Chapter Eight

It was blinding yellow sunlight and a deep dull ache that awoke him from an overheated pile of naked bodies. The world came into focus in a bright sea of technicolors. There was a muscled arm stretched over his front. A leg was also strung over his thigh. He was thoroughly pinned beneath men. 

“Parrain? Are you okay?” Harry felt Teddy climbing over his body and up to his chest. Beautiful amber eyes flickered over Harry. 

“Teddy?” Harry breathed, and when he turned his head from side to side to see who was beside him, ow! It ached. “Merlin, what did I do?” 

“I think your ardeur went a little crazy,” Teddy said. “It’s five o’ clock in the afternoon.” 

“What?! Who? What? Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine!” 

“Have you eaten?” He clenched his eyes to try and get the colors to dim. But, fuck, it was hard. 

“Yep. I called for room service and asked them to leave it at the door. I’ve just been playing games and watching some cartoons.” 

“I’m so sorry, baby, I didn’t mean for this to happen.” 

“Looks like the tiger got out of hand, hm? You ended up calling another tiger into the room.” He pointed, and Harry starred over the naked stripper that only had a sheet over his crotch for modesty. Harry was guessing that was Teddy’s doing because he sure as hell didn’t remember anything last night. That was when he saw the second weretiger, still in tigerman form. He was curled on his side, his fur was red and black stripes, and the sight of him brought back flashes of Harry being mounted by both of them. Both massive cocks going deep, entering him, scratches, bites, growls, and more. It was no wonder he ached deep into his stomach. He was sure both men ended up in there somehow. 

In fact, he was lying beside another furred body, which happened to be Jason. He had a coat of fur, but was human at the same time. Not quite were-man form, but close. He was slowly losing it though as time passed, and then there was Logan who was all human on the other side of Jason and wrapped around the younger man. Despite all of this, Harry thought it was a cute sight. 

His mind was foggy, and the memories of last night were sluggish coming to his mind except for the massive amount of sex and large cocks, _ but oh Merlin _ , he’d never felt so stretched in his life. He ached all over, and he saw that his bare chest had scratches and bites raking up and down his body. He could imagine what his neck looked like. Not to mention other parts of him. 

He had to get up. He had to get out of there. He threw his arm over his eyes in an effort to drown things out around him. “Gotta get up. Gotta get out.” It was hard to squirm when he was so pinned down, and Merlin did it hurt. His whole body was aching, and his spine felt as if a dozen horses had trampled over him. 

Most things came back to him, the stupid bachelorette party, the arrival of the preternaturals including Crispin and Lucien. Thank Merlin Lucien hadn’t been here, he’d likely burn to death with the sun’s rays shooting through the room. 

“You heard everything didn’t you?” 

“I used my wand to silence my bed when I started getting too tired,” said Teddy. “But the energy from the wolves was hard to avoid.” Teddy confessed shyly. 

Harry reached out and brushed his fingers along the fringe of Teddy’s brown hair. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have been put in this situation. It was very irresponsible of me.” 

“You couldn’t help it. It wasn’t your fault,” said Teddy. “Besides, I’m used to it, and it only means we have new friends right? You’re happy, right? I had fun though learning about other people and watching everyone!” 

“I guess, but this… this is too much.” He grunted as he carefully moved Crispin’s arm and then tried to pull his leg out from under Jason’s. 

“You think too much, Parrain. You’re being silly. I slept fine. I think it was around seven o’ clock when all the energy died down.” 

So they’d had sex for over six or seven hours? He fed his ardeur on all of them and they were still breathing? It was only a testament to how strong they all happened to be, even Jason. 

“My ardeur didn’t affect you did it?” 

“No. Just the air feeling a bit warm and tingly.” 

Harry could only sigh in relief. That was when Crispin tightened his hold, and began to stir awake.  _ Dammit! _ Harry could feel that the gel of sweat having dried all over him, and the stench of sex was strong enough that any human could detect it. 

“I did have to make the guards go away. A lot of them kept pounding on the door.” 

“What did you do?” Harry asked nervously. 

“I didn’t open it. I know better than that. I told them I’m not allowed to open the door while Parrain is asleep, and that we have Detective Logan in here, so we’re all safe. I don’t know if it worked. Sometimes I can smell one or two out in the hall walking up and down it.” He shrugged. 

“You did good, baby. Thank you.” 

Teddy beamed and crawled over Harry to kiss him on the cheek at the same time Harry felt Crispin open his eyes with a stir. For a second, he too didn’t seem to know where he was. He took one quick casting look around the bed of male bodies as he raised his head, and then he stared at the little boy draped over Harry. 

“What?” he asked in confusion. 

“What?” Harry asked back. 

“Who is this?” asked Crispin. 

“My baby.” 

“I’m Teddy. Nice to meet you!” 

Crispin had a wild expression on his face as he struggled to sit up and looked around. “What happened last night?” He had scratches and bites all over his body. “Some kind of fun…”

“No idea, but my body remembers,” Harry grumbled. “And who let that guy in?” Harry looked at the man on Crispin’s other side. 

Crispin looked over his shoulder. “Not a clue. But he’s a tiger. Probably couldn’t ignore the call.” 

“I didn’t mean to do that, not even sure I know how I did that.” said Harry, managing to extract himself with the help of Teddy rolling Jason’s leg off him. “Talk about an awkward first morning encounter…” 

“You have one hell of a body.” 

Harry’s face transformed to almost purple causing Teddy to start giggling furiously. “My Parrain is extra special!” He bounced on the bed making Harry groan. 

“Teddy…” 

“What? It’s true!” 

“Gotta get out of bed… gotta move! Did anyone call?” 

“I think Dad tried to call, but I was in the bathroom at the time.” 

“Shit, if I don’t call back he’s going to flip it.” 

“Probably.” 

“He’s a wolf?” 

“Yes.” Harry began the hard task of sliding down to the end of the bed, and each movement he made physically hurt him to do so.

“I mean your son.” Crispin stated.

“So did I.” Harry finally wiggled to the end of the bed, turning in time to see Jason throw an arm around the boy while still asleep. “Looks like you’re trapped now, Baby.”

“That’s ok.” Teddy lifted the sheet to draw it over him. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Harry asked with a lifted eyebrow as he searched for his phone. If he didn’t call Edward and Micah now they’d likely tear the hotel down looking for him in a few hours. He didn’t care anymore that he was completely starkers. He needed the phone!

“Smaller than Papa.”

“Excuse you?” Crispin huffed. “I’m bigger than those two.”

“Maybe bigger than Uncle Jason, but I haven’t seen Mr. Logan yet and I’m not comparing apples to oranges here.” Teddy said matter of factly. 

“What?”

“While you’re both weres, I’m comparing you to Papa, not to wolves; and you’re smaller. Not by much maybe, but still smaller” The boy shrugged as he dropped the sheet back down. He wiggled down in the bed a little while moving closer to Jason who buried his nose into Teddy’s neck. Logan didn’t move beyond shifting his hand from Jason’s front to Teddy’s side. Harry did his best to hide his laugh. Leave it to Teddy to create comic relief the day after he pulls in two tigers with the ardeur. 

“It’s hard to compare with your Papa, Baby. I’ve only met a few men who do.” Harry picked up his phone in triumph, it had been buried under bed sheets and clothes. “Now let’s call your Papa and Dad and make sure they don’t come in guns blazing.”

“Papa? Dad? A tigress is always monogamous to the strongest tiger that answers her call. That’s me. Whatever life you had, whatever plans you’ve made are changed. I don’t care what lovers you’ve had in the past, I’ll even forgive this tiger coming in to join last night, but now you are mine.”

“Pardon?” Harry asked turning back towards Crispin as the phone started to dial out. He gave a dead stare to the white haired man sitting on the bed. “I don’t do monogamy, and you have no right to dictate anything…”

“Little Raven, you better have an explanation for me.”

“Hello Lover, yes… little accident with the ardeur last night. Seems it doesn’t like being interrupted by hysterical brides and comes back with a vengeance. Had myself some lovely wolves and two tigers.” Harry kept eye contact with Crispin. He wasn’t about to let this tiger intimidate him.

“Run that last bit by me again?”

“Seems Little Maxie likes to send his strippers out to the other side of the country for bachelorette parties. Not sure who the other tiger is,” he confessed. “He joined the party sometime in the night.” 

“Sounds like you had a hard night, Baby,” Micah piped up through the line. 

“Understatement. I think my tigers reacted because I’d never met a male tiger before, and it went a bit cuckoo.” 

“That’s what happened with the lion,” said Micah. “When I sent Haven in to talk to you.” 

“Mhmm. I’m hurting in places I haven’t hurt in for years now. So, sorry about the radio silence. I feel like I have a hangover from hell. Have you spoken to Jean-Claude?” 

“Not yet, Little Raven. He should be rousing very soon. Are these tigers giving you trouble?” Edward asked. 

“Nothing I can’t handle,” he assured. “Besides, I met a big bad werewolf, I might just bring him home with me,” Harry mused. “I wonder how long it’ll take me to convince him?” 

“Five seconds,” Logan’s voice traveled through the room, and Harry tore his eyes away from the tigers on the bed to look at the alpha wolf. 

“Oh really? You know I do have a slot for Ulfric open. The Lupa isn’t available, but it doesn’t look like you’re interested in the Lupa,” he said smiling all the while. 

“You would be right. You’re hot, not going to lie, but you aren’t my type.” 

“Little Raven?” 

“His name is Logan Winters and he’s a natural wolf. He’s been our shield since we arrived. My instincts liked him, and he’s so good that I didn’t notice nor did Jason notice what he was.” 

“Why was he hiding it?” asked Micah. 

“He’s a detective in what I think Edward would call Mayberry.” Logan let out a throaty chuckle. 

“That is more apt than Harper Valley.” 

“And you like him?” asked Edward. 

“Yep. I do.” 

“Alright then. I’ll leave you with that decision.” 

Micah started laughing over the line. “It figures, Baby. You go away on your own and come back with the answer to five hundred problems.” 

“Maybe,” said Harry. “So, am I forgiven?” 

“I don’t know yet,” said Edward. “Where’s Teddy?” 

“Cuddling with Jason and Logan. It’s really a cute sight. Someone needs to get me one of those updated phones with the really good camera. This phone won’t do it justice.” 

“I’m here!” Teddy called out as Jason began to shiver awake, and the last of the fur on his body began to melt, and healthy pinkish tan skin bloomed as his face softened and his blond hair went back baby fine.

Logan stroked down his arm as he watched. Crispin the whole while, Harry could tell, was pouting having been left out and thoroughly ignored. The other guy was still knocked out. Good, let him stay that way. Maybe Harry could have Logan drag him out of the room? 

“When Jean-Claude does wake can you get him to send a message to ol’ Maxie, and remind him that human servants of sourdre de sangs are more than off limits?” Crispin’s look wasn’t pleasant. 

“We’ll do that. If you get anymore issues call us,” said Micah. 

“If you have anything for me to shoot, let me know, Little Raven.” 

“All in time, Lovers, all in time. I think Jason may want to go to the hospital, I think visiting hours last for a few more hours. Not sure. But I have to get up, and I need a shower in the worst of ways.” 

Soon enough, Harry hung the phone up. 

“That isn’t fair of you,” said Crispin. 

“What’s not?” Harry asked. “It’s not fair of you to expect that I’ll be monogamous when we don’t even know each other. I have a whole life in St. Louis. I have three men I’m engaged to, one being the Master of the City of St. Louis. I was all of these things before I ever caught the weretiger. Just think of last night as a bit of fun and nothing else. It’s not like I can further your line after all. I may be a ‘little queen’ as you call it, but I am male. If you don’t remember.” He rose to a standing position and winced when his ankles and knees popped.  _ Ouch! _

“But I can tell you’re reacting to me. Even now looking at me stirs your weretiger.” 

“My beasts get stirred in a variety of different ways. That does not mean anything. Just because you’re attractive to it doesn’t mean anything more than what it is.” He wanted to get up and take a shower. He really needed to get a good look at the damage to his body, but leaving Crispin in the bed with his son and Jason? Hell no. 

It was like Logan could read his mind. “You should clean up. I’ll keep watch in here.” 

“You sure?” 

“Yes.” 

Crispin ruffled up. “What do you think I’m going to do?” 

“I don’t know. Like I said, I don’t know you. But, the sex was good,” he offered. 

“Even if I’m ‘smaller’ than the cub’s Papa?” Crispin pouted.

“Like I said, hard to find anyone his size. Doesn’t mean the sex wasn’t good. It was mind blowing.” Harry shrugged as he headed towards the bathroom.

He took careful stock of his body once he was behind closed doors, and the lights of the bathroom highlighted exactly why he was so bloody sore. He had scratches up and down his chest and on his back. He had bite marks, small gashes and trenches along his neck and down his collarbone. 

To say he had been rode hard and everyone forgot to put him away was an understatement. He quickly set the shower on extra hot, and proceeded to scrub all of last night in and out of his poor body. He washed until he was raw. Ouch! The soap and his wounds did not get along well as it stung and burned. But that only meant that Harry was getting clean and no chance of infection. Yep. It’s what he told himself with every gasp. 

“Parrain, I have your bag of clothes! Logan said I should bring it to you,” said Teddy opening the door. 

“Thank you, Teddy Bear.” He turned off the hot water, and all the suds of soap ran down into the drain. He grabbed the nearest towel and swooped it around him as he stepped out. 

“Also, the other guy woke up. He smells oddly familiar.” 

“Familiar?” 

“Yep.” 

That was a bit unsettling. “Is Jason awake?” 

“Not yet. It seems Crispin isn’t happy with my remark about his body.” 

Harry chuckled. “No, probably not, but I thank you for it.” 

Teddy beamed. “I was only telling the truth. I wasn’t trying to insult him. Also wanted to let him know that you’re taken after all.” 

“You did good. Never stop speaking your mind, got it?” he lectured gently. He didn’t want his son to end up the  _ Yes, sir boy _ because of his kind heart after all. Harry had done that for years. 

“Yep!” 

He started to feel more like himself as he brushed his teeth, and started dressing. He forewent all underwear that went up his still raw ass, and chose thin easy to wear snug shorts. He hopped on one leg as he slipped into the red jeans. Snug enough that hopping was an understatement and it got Teddy giggling at him. 

“You’re in a good mood.” 

“I think I’m happy because of the energy. I mean I felt it last night, but today all the wolf energies are swirling through my body. I feel really good.” He beamed. 

“Glad someone got something out of the mess I put myself into. I’d have preferred to do this with men I knew and liked.” 

He plucked the black and red hooded long-sleeve that he’d brought in case it got chilly. He had too many scratches on his arms to be revealing too much of his skin. It fit around him like a comfortable glove, and finally his belt. He checked for the goodies to be in their place. He’d deal with shoes later as Teddy opened the door for them. 

It seemed Harry and Teddy were the only men dressed in the room, everyone else was up and happily naked. Even Logan, and yeah he was a good size from the slackness of him. Not that Harry remembered much. He wasn’t the least bit interested in Logan, not sexually anyway. Logan had more of the feel of someone neutral, like someone who could be a good friend and confidant given enough time. 

Jason was still disoriented, but doing his best to look like a bigger man under Crispin’s honed glare. Harry was going to guess that the only reason Crispin hadn’t lashed out or said anything was because of the rolling energy coming from Logan. 

Finally, the last unknown man of the night was sitting on the edge of the bed with a disgruntled expression. It took Harry all of a second to recognize him. He’d had contacts the last time they saw each other. Also, the last time they saw each other Harry had melted his camera and froze him in place. 

“Ah bloody hell, I fucked a reporter!” 

The man turned and looked at him squarely in the eye, which meant he got a good look at them. His eyes were a yellow gold with a rim of orange. No wonder he had contacts. “You called me, remember?” 

“I didn’t mean to!” Harry defended with a cross of his arms. 

“You let out one hell of a signal,” he said flatly. “If there’d been more tigers in this area you’d have called them all to you.” 

Harry cringed. “Once again, not meant to.” 

“Weren’t you raised to control it?” 

“I’m not a weretiger! At least not in the traditional sense. I can’t actually shift, and if I could shift I’d either choose wolf or leopard thank you very much.” 

“What do you mean by that?” 

“He has multiple in him,” said Crispin coolly. 

“Multiple-?” 

“I think it’s called panwere,” said Harry. 

Crispin shook his head. “I’ve only heard about them. They’re the stuff of legend. No one’s ever seen one.” 

“I have. Killed him too. He was an Evil bastard with a capital E and I don’t use evil lightly.” He looked at the woozy looking Jason. “You okay, Jason?” 

“Fine, Lupa. Just confused. I changed I think, while we had sex.” 

“It’s fine. It’s not like I haven’t had you before,” said Harry plopping down gently beside Logan as Teddy brought him his boots and thin socks. They were the black ones from last night. 

Jason grinned. “Least I remember this time.” 

“Glad you remember something. My head is still foggy.” 

“I guess you aren’t a Summerland after all?” said the reporter. 

Jason’s smile dropped. “No,” he scowled. 

“You should go clean up,” Logan suggested to Jason. 

“That requires getting up, right? I’m not sure if I’m ready for that. Let one of the big-bad so-called dominants go first.” He smirked at the simultaneous glares he received. 

It seemed that the auburn haired man was named Alex Pinn. Harry doubted that it was his real name, he sounded way too reporter-like for Harry’s taste. His hair, Harry discovered, was more than auburn. It was so deep fire-engine red that when the lights hit it in a certain way it seemed to shimmer. 

Come to find out, weretigers were a very close-knit society. All of them hid who and what they were because of their rarity, and the colors of them denoted what tribe and clan they were from. 

Alex was almost too likable. Harry didn’t want to like him, if only on principle. Crispin on the other hand had gone to the bathroom, and was likely having a good sulk. He probably wasn’t used to being a group where he wasn’t the more dominant male. 

Hah. 

Maybe in were hierarchy he was high, but in Harry's life he was at the very bottom, and he would not have any snobby uppity dominants thinking they could get one up on Jason. Logan was such a relaxed man, and easy going. He was far and away from what Harry was used to when it came to Alpha’s. 

His bathroom became a revolving door, and Jason who finally dragged his poor bottom up for a shower, poked his head out with a pleading look. “Lupa? Can you please warm the water?” 

Harry threw up his hand, and smiled. “Done.” 

Jason brightened. “Thank you!” 

“Huh?!” Alex and Crispin seemed startled, and Logan chuckled. 

“Maybe I should have asked too.” 

“Oops, sorry about that,” said Harry to Logan. 

“I didn’t feel you cast magic, and can you even cast magic on something so mundane like water?” Crispin asked. 

“Sure, when you’re the wizard that I am you can,” said Harry. “I’m not your well known brand of witches. Remember the BBC programme January 1st?” 

Alex nodded. “Yeah, something about a Statute of Secrecy and since the 1600s they’d been hidden right alongside everyone else. It caused a very big deal and had reporters all over just finding out that America had come out, a bit more quieter about fourteen years or so ago. Just remember a big black guy announcing it next to the Prime Minister.” 

“That’s my world,” said Harry. “My kind of witches and wizards don’t generally announce what they are. Like you tigers. You may be aware of the existence, but actually seeing one is rare. That big guy you referred to is the Minister of Magic. I come from a world of witches and wizards, real ones. You know, dragons, unicorns, and other tidbits. Our magic is in our very core and soul.”

“Is that why you can’t shift?” asked Crispin. 

“I don’t think that’s why. Teddy’s Father was a full werewolf. He was a wizard too.” 

“Was?” Crispin asked. 

“He died not a month after Teddy was born to a war in our world. His mother died too.” 

“I thought he was your son?” 

“He is. He’s my godson, and in my world that means something. Plus, I blood adopted him. Which means if you do any DNA tests he’ll come out as my son. Same with his fathers. He has three by the way,” he said proudly. 

Crispin and Alex were staring at him in confusion, and Logan laced his fingers together. “I imagine the science behind that would confuse the hell out of the medical department.” 

“Probably,” Harry laughed. “He’s my world, and I’d destroy this world should anything lay a finger on him,” he said pleasantly as if talking about the weather, but inside it was a threat and a promise. Do not mess with his Teddy Bear. “And I have three fiancées who wouldn’t stop at the world ending.” 

Teddy had been helping Jason get some clothes to wear, and he came out freshly showered. Alex and Crispin were still in robes. Alex’s clothes were shredded, but Crispin only came in wearing a g-string. 

Harry took Alex’s clothes and mended them with a touch before tossing them to the man. He did the same to Logan’s clothing allowing everyone to finally get dressed but Crispin who sat in a white robe with it mostly open. 

Crispin was staring at Harry. “You don’t want to be my mate?” 

“I can’t do that, Crispin.” 

“You don’t feel the energy?” 

“I do. I feel the energy, but Crispin, what I did last night was an accident. It’s not something I try to make a habit of. I’ve not met a weretiger since getting the strand, and so it took me all by surprise. Add in not feeding my ardeur and the whole situation got out of control. You should go find Lucien before he wakes for the night and get yourself back to Las Vegas. I’d hate for you to get in trouble with your master.” 

“You know, by right of lycanthrope law, if you mated with me. You’re mine,” he pointed out. 

“Don’t start that Crispin,” said Alex with a frown. “Oh, and I did hear you say you’re stronger. Do not believe the surface of energies. I am the Li Da of my clan.” 

“Why aren’t you with your clan?” 

“I ran away. My mother is the Chang. All weretiger clans are matriarchal. If I’d been born a female, I’d be taking over for her. But I’m not, and the stringent rules and laws weren’t for me. So I ran for it.” 

“Can’t blame you,” said Harry. “Ran from my world too because of that very thing. They wanted something a whole lot more than I wanted.” 

“You understand then?” Alex smiled, and when he did. It lit up his handsome face. If only Harry had met him first and without his camera. 

“I do, and no way am I falling under something like that again. I’m happy with my life as it is finally, and I’m not going to be uprooted, not to mention I doubt Max would start a war over me. I can’t help you breed or further your lines. It would be pointless. Not to mention, my leopard and wolf already mated so according to your lycanthrope law, it’s not happening.”

“But you called me.” 

“Accident, Crispin. Pure accident.” Crispin had that crumpled look, and Harry hated to see it. “Look, you wouldn’t fit well. You’re about monogamy and your clan. I’m… not. Okay? It took me years before I became comfortable in my skin, and I’m not about to change it for someone else’s rules and for someone else’s laws. I don’t work that way, and I never will. You should go back to Las Vegas, and  _ you _ , watch what you print. Once we leave, have at it, but until then keep it to yourself!” 

Alex held his hands up. “Sure, sure! I’ll get Crispin to my room. I’m sure I have clothes that’ll fit you.” 

“Can I at least get a kiss good-bye?” 

Harry wanted to say no, but he let out a small sigh and reached upon his toes and kissed Crispin. “Bye.” 

Crispin brightened, and Alex shook his head. “I’ve mated before, so I’m used to the deal.” 

“Sorry about that.” 

“Nah, it was fun. Just you know, I don’t want to be exposed.” 

“I won’t if you don’t expose me.” 

“Deal.” 

“Leave Logan out of anything you write or say too. Got it?” 

Both men left the room, and Harry saw the spiteful look from Shadwell across the hall. Harry smiled sweetly and slammed the door closed with a deep breath. 

“You may have rolled that tiger. You know that?” Logan asked gently. 

Harry winced. “Dammit, you noticed that too? I swear I didn’t mean to.”

“That’s kind of obvious, new powers always come with a learning curve.” 

“All powers do, and even when you think you have the curve, you learn something new.” Harry felt awkward for a moment, and then. “I’m sorry if I dragged you into the ardeur.” 

“Jason warned me about what was going to happen. I let it,” said Logan. “Besides, this is a full on interview isn’t it? To be your Ulfric?” 

Harry couldn’t help but laugh. “Maybe. I would like to steal you. I can’t be everything to everyone. I try, but I'm just one person. St. Louis has a great community.” 

“I know. I do my research,” said Logan. “I’ve been watching the community since word of the Coalition spread. My uncle is an Ulfric and informed me and other individual wolves his pack knows. He wanted us to have another line for assistance if we needed it.”

“So you must be aware that being the community we are and how strong Jean and I tend to be, we get a lot of enemies. I would think we get more so than the average city.” 

“You trying to scare me?”

“No. Just warn you.” 

“How did you become all that you are?” asked Logan as Harry came over to sit down. “I understand that collecting different strains before you’ve shifted can cause you to develop multiple beasts, but I heard Jason when he said you’re a Nimir-Ra and a Lupa? Sounds like you could be a Regina too. How does that work?” 

“Honestly? I only purposely took the Pard with conscious thought. Gabriel was the original leader. He and the pack’s Lupa at the time, Raina Wallis, were some sick kitties and puppies. They were forcing their submissives into snuff films. I had met a few good people from those packs, you know? So when Jason came to me, he asked me for protection.” 

“Outside the pack, which would put you in the spot of being considered dominant.” 

“Yep. I took advantage of it. Stephen needed help too. He’s another wolf, about the level of Jason, though I think Jason has come very far. I wouldn’t even put him at the bottom anymore. He’s got such good control. And Stephen’s twin brother, Gregory, is a wereleopard, and I just… I couldn’t stand there and watch what they were doing and let it pass me by. I have a habit of reacting first and questioning things later. I’m not a wereleopard, but I have a magical ability to shift into a leopard. A normal one. So I used that to my advantage, and fought him one on one in a ring surround all the other weres in the city. Somewhere along the way I ended up Lupa. I made conscious decision to take the Pard if only to protect them and help them. Micah, one of my fiancées, is an Alpha wereleopard and a Nimir-Raj, but it wasn’t his Pard, and he had issues going on that prevented him from stepping in.” 

“And you developed your beasts?” 

“Teddy’s bitten on me a lot being so playful. I didn’t know he was going to be a full fledged werewolf. I knew he had the tendencies and quirks. Then there’s Micah, who of course bites me too during sex, so that’s probably where I got my own. Either that or from Gabriel when I was forced to make payment to release Gregory.” 

“And the Lion?” 

“I was attacked by a panwere, the one I mentioned being Evil. You might have heard of him, Chimera?” 

Logan’s eyes flickered. “Yes, we know of him. No one knows what happened to him. He was what our family would call a ghost story. Something to scare the new pups into behaving.” 

“I killed him, but before he died, he gave me the lion strain. He was after Micah’s pard. He was obsessed with Micah. He had a quadruple personality. He was originally the Bounty Hunter Orlando King, and when he met me he became intrigued by me.” 

“Damn, that I didn’t know,” said Logan. “You’re telling me they were one in the same?” 

“Yep. There is some combination of mystical magic and energies that prevents me from turning. I have a lot in me. We’d be here a week if I explained them.” 

“So did your Ulfric run in fear? Doesn’t sound very honorable,” said Logan. 

Harry shook his head. “No, not in fear. He ran from me,” he said sadly. “I don’t age.” He held his hands open. “I’m almost twenty-eight. He’s in his forties.” 

“He should have thought about that when he chose you, Harry. That isn’t on you.” 

“Sometimes I think it is. It’s true he wasn’t the core. I have a core three that are absolutely everything to me, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love him. I loved him a lot. As my Ulfric, as my own sweetie.” 

“And he didn’t understand that?” 

“No.” 

“Did he know about your other men?” 

“Definitely. He was Jean-Claude’s wolf to call. I almost died last year, twice. Marcus didn’t know about the second time, and was stricken that no one had contacted him.” 

“Why not?” 

“We were fighting. He was embarrassed of me, and my men didn’t appreciate him humiliating me in front of human co-workers, and then he abandoned me alone on the side of the road.” 

The look on Logan’s face said a whole hell of a lot. “I wouldn’t have either. No matter the life you lead outside of the pack, your one true goal should always be the pack and it’s needs. Yours are shelved until the needs are met. All of them. No exceptions.” 

Harry nodded. “I agree with you. I chose to become their Lupa to help, and I thought if in the future Teddy had to join one, if I was at the top of the chain, I could protect him.” 

“Noble goal, very noble,” said Logan truly. “Especially for a non-shifter.”

“Jason has pulled the most weight including the Alphas and Enforcers of the pack. He’s done the most. He’s more than food for Jean-Claude and me. Even though he’s not a sponsor, Jason will often help with the new wolves. When the whole ardeur thing started, I was not very willing to be taking others to bed. I had three lovers, and that’s all I needed or wanted. But, the ardeur can drain someone if I feed on them too long. Jean and I cancel each other out since we both have to feed, and with only two lovers between us - poor men can’t do it all.” 

Logan chuckled. “So you have to have others with you to feed from?” 

“Yeah. Jason was the first person I agreed to. He was the first outside my circle that I trusted so completely and wasn’t so brotherly.” Like Rafael, Harry didn’t say. “He became my best friend. It took me a long time to get to this point. To the point where I’m comfortable in my skin. I’m comfortable with choosing someone to sleep with. I don’t like that the ardeur took control this time. Normally, it’s fine. I’ve gotten very good control over it since it all started. Last night was not typical. I think it’s because the tigers. I’d never been exposed to one. Right now our pack is set up where I’m the Lupa, the Enforcers and Alphas are working together to keep the peace, and we have a Bolverk.”

“Bolverk? Rare.” 

“Yeah, well he gets the job done, and since I’m just one person and we have no Ulfric, it’s necessary. Jason can tell you more about it. So because I have the pard and packs to take care of, no way possible I can be a good Regina too.” 

“You just don’t like Haven,” said Jason swaying out of the bathroom with Teddy behind him. Jason had taken to dressing him too. “Did you get rid of the kitties?” 

“Barely.” 

“Parrain, can we leave sometime soon? I’m really hungry now. I had breakfast this morning and some fruit for lunch, but I’m really hungry.” 

“Of course baby.” 

“I would like to get out of this hotel, and then deal with dad,” Jason cringed at this, and Harry felt something settle into the pit of his stomach as if he could feel Jason’s emotions. 

“Do you think we can evade the guards and media?” Logan asked, grabbing his shoes. It didn’t matter that he was wearing last night’s clothes. Harry had managed to use his magic to run the wrinkles out of them so there was that at least. 

Harry had a feeling he was going commando, and Jason must have thought this too because he cocked his head to the side with a smirk when Logan bent down for the shoes. 

“I don’t know. I can do some magic if I have to. I’ve been careful with what I use in case they turn on us. I don’t want to give all my tricks away. I don’t trust them. I don’t trust that they have this much interest in us,” Harry admitted. “And I definitely don’t trust Chuck. I get the hinkiest feeling with him around. Peterson seems like an okay bloke, but tied down by his rules and job.” 

“I can’t help but wonder where Keith is,” Jason admitted. “I mean, shouldn’t he be in town for his wedding? Even hiding, he should literally be in this town, right?” 

“I know! I know!” Teddy bounced up and down. “I overheard the guards talking.”

Everyone turned to the boy. “What did you overhear?” Harry asked. 

Teddy grinned. “Seems this Keith guy ran away with a master vampire’s wife.” 

Eyes all around widened, and Harry couldn’t stop the drop of his mouth. “You’re kidding?” 

He shook his head. “Nope! Apparently, he eloped with her, and this vampire is mad mad mad!” 

“So that’s why the ramp up in security,” said Harry. “Oh boy, sleights like that don’t come cheap.” 

Jason winced. “No, they don’t. Must be a hit on Keith’s life and because I look like him there’s a good chance that I’m going to be a target.” 

“You could get caught in the crossfire,” Harry scowled. “I knew something was off. Something was weird about them last night. From here we’re going to have to be careful.” 

Using notice-me-not charms no one noticed Jason leaving the hotel room with them. Harry told Shadwell who had been against the wall outside that Jason was staying back while they got a late dinner or early breakfast. 

Harry couldn’t help but notice that there were more guards than usual, and he insisted on taking the stairwell this time instead of the elevators. 

All of them managed to evade the media and the reporters that were hanging around the hall, they took a side door of the hotel outside to the covered garage where Logan’s black sedan was waiting on them. 

“Glad we don’t have to take a taxi,” said Jason. “Man, we should have thought of this earlier, these charms are brilliant. I walked right by two reporters and no one noticed me!” 

“I’m surprised they didn’t notice Harry,” said Logan. 

“It’s because they’re looking for Keith, not me,” said Harry. “Where’s a good place for food, Jason?” 

“Carol’s Restaurant is one of the best. I’m sure it’s still here and I know how you hate fast food,” said Jason grinning. 

Logan agreed, and so that was where they went completely unimpeded allowing everyone to relax. Harry tried to get more out of Teddy about Keith and his eloping with a vampire’s bride, but sadly he had no more than what he’d given them. 

“We shouldn’t worry about that, Lupa. Let’s just see my dad and then we can all get home,” said Jason. 

“I’m not trying to open an investigation, Jason. But I do need to know the score in case you are mistaken for this Keith. Edward would never forgive me if I was too lax.” 

“Don’t worry. While you’re all in town I’ll stick around.” Logan offered as he drove. Harry sat in the back with Teddy, leaving Jason in the front with Logan. “Wouldn’t do to have someone from the community disappear while in my town.”

“Are there other wolves here? Is there a pack? We didn’t think it was large enough to have one.” Harry asked as he wondered if they would need to scramble to get a gift.

“No, I’m the only wolf. There aren’t any clans here, just individuals. We rarely interact, but with my family holding high positions in my uncle’s pack it would look bad on them if I wasn’t able to keep visitors safe. After all, they’ve raised me to be an Ulfric or Enforcer at least when I decide to join a pack; once they confirmed I was alpha and not a submissive. My older sister would have learned as well except she is more submissive, not a fan of the dominance fights. I quite enjoyed them and participated in practice matches as I grew.” 

“What?” Jason and Harry looked at Logan in confusion. “Practice matches?”

“You don’t have those? We had them because my uncle’s pack has a lot of born wolves, it’s been the family’s pack for a few generations now. It’s not anywhere near the size of your St. Louis pack and stays small. Part of our upbringing is learning what each pack role does, practice fights to learn control, races through the woods during the full moon, and various games that encourage us to use all senses. Once the born wolves reach a certain age, we’re encouraged to go out on our own. Join other packs or be nomads for a while. We’re always welcome back, but most stay with their new packs.”

“Is it a pack of just born wolves?” Teddy asked curiously.

“Not at all, pup. Sometimes there’s accidents. Someone accidentally infects a girlfriend or boyfriend, someone got a bad vaccine, or a nomad comes in.” Logan stated calmly. “Most in the city never knew who was in the pack. We were big about blending in. Born shifters typically have an easier time doing so. It’s how I’ve been able to be a police detective for so long. I take time off on full moons, but also have off random other times so it masks the full moon days.”

“Don’t an Ulfric and Lupa need to be in a sexual relationship?” Jason asked, looking out the window. Harry frowned at the back of his head. Surely Jason didn’t think Harry would get in their way. 

“Don’t have to be, not with born wolves. Just need to be compatible. Most are, that’s true, but my uncle and his twin sister definitely aren’t and the pack has no issues.” Logan shrugged. “Jason, I want you to know that I was there last night for you, not your Lupa. Sorry Harry.”

“No complaint from me Logan.” Harry grinned, seeing Jason perk up. “Fun is fine. I don’t need another man on my plate.” 

Jason snickered. “Not to mention you have two Pommes and a vampire servant who are madly in love with you.” 

“There’s a bond, I won’t lie. Good packs need a healthy bond between the Ulfric and Lupa but it doesn’t have to be sexual.” 

“Lupa bonds with a lot of people,” said Jason mischievously. 

“Shut up,” Harry pouted as Logan chuckled at them. 

Harry had to admit now that they weren’t constantly looking over their shoulders for reporters, that the town didn’t seem so bad. If a little too close knit for his liking. Jason was still under a notice-me-not charm, and so no one recognized him or truly saw him. But they all knew Logan, and then there were the inquiries as to who Harry was. Followed by questions about Teddy, and bloody hell they wanted to know everything. 

Jason was snickering quietly at him, and Logan half smiled. “You get used to it.” 

“Uh huh.” It was about all Harry could manage. “It’s like being back in the UK.”

Carol’s Restaurant was one of those diners that never pulled themselves out of the seventies. It had large globe sized lanterns that made the place overly bright. It even had a Jukebox in the corner that looked as if it had seen better days, and the oranges and pale sky blues with patterns made Harry’s eyes tingle. 

But, the food was good. Harry would give them that. Jason and Logan were trading stories about Promise, and Harry knew he was avoiding the elephant in the town that was his father. He kept glancing at the clock and then back at his food periodically. 

“Maybe it’s too late tonight,” said Jason after some time. 

“I was waiting for you to say that,” said Harry as the waitress sat down their bill. 

Jason pouted. “Do we have to go? Can’t we, you know… just take a walk around the town or something since no one notices me?” 

“Do you really want to do that?”

Jason’s shoulders sagged. “Yes, no. I know I have to.” 

“You don’t have to do anything. Just say the word and we’ll up and leave now,” said Harry. “ _ But _ , you did promise to be back.” 

“Dammit,” Jason grumbled. “Fine. We can go.” 

Harry could sympathize. He’d gone through this same thing when they all went to the UK for the week. But if he didn’t do it now, he might regret it later, and it was Harry’s job to make sure his wolf had no regrets.


	9. Chapter Nine

Getting to the hospital was much easier now that they didn’t have the Summerlands and those shady guards on their backs. No surprise there. Harry was impressed with Logan, he had to admit. He was so patient and mild mannered, and Jason spent most of the drive flirting insatiably with him. It was to the point even Teddy noticed. 

Good Merlin, the kid was going to pick up quite the flirting techniques for the future. He had a feeling that Ilvormorny won’t know what hit them when Teddy started school next year. Probably a good thing it wasn’t Hogwarts. He wasn’t sure how the school or the world itself would react to such a free spirited child. 

It was that thought that almost froze him, and he glanced down at Teddy who was smiling so happily, looking out the window and simultaneously glancing at Jason. He was absorbing everything Jason was saying. 

Maybe because things had been busy in the last few years, but had it really just under four years ago? It didn’t seem possible for time to move so quickly. It also meant that it was ten years ago that the war in the magical world had ended, along with his parents, and every other critical issue in the magical world. 

It certainly put a lot of things into perspective for Harry; and despite all the death defying things that had taken place, vampire politics and games, and even lycanthrope games, Harry had never been so happy. Looking at Teddy, the boy fully agreed with him. Harry took down the notice-me-not charm before they arrived at the hospital. It wouldn’t do to get turned away because Harry and Logan weren’t family, and it was kind of late. 

They bypassed Jebidiah Summerland’s portrait for the elevators without incident. Jason ended up once again clasped to Harry’s side as he side-eyed the portrait. “So glad our portraits don’t move like yours, Lupa,” Jason breathed causing Harry to snicker. 

Logan arched a brow. “Move?” 

Harry nodded. “In my world the portraits are quite lively.” 

“How?” 

“Magic.” 

“Right, of course. Magic. Interesting kind of magic you use, Harry.” 

“That’s one way to put it. I have a barmy portrait at home. Teddy insisted on bringing it back from the UK. I’d have just left it where it was…” 

“Oh don’t be like that. You like Severus!” said Teddy grinning. 

Harry snorted. “Like is a relative term, Teddy Bear. That man tortured me for seven bloody years.” 

“But he also protected you.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Now he just snores every day.” 

“Snoring?” Logan’s expression was comical enough that it had Jason giggling as they rode the elevator up. 

“He talks, Merlin does he talk.” 

Jason lost his amusement as the elevator shuddered to a stop and pinged on the floor. He drew in a deep breath as the doors slowly opened. 

It was a small walk down the hall, bypassing a couple of nurses and orderlies. One or two gave double-takes when they saw Jason, but Logan was a good detractor from anyone wanting to approach. 

“You’re here!” Iris was sitting just inside the room on a long cushioned bench with a stack of magazines by her side. Most of the lights had been dimmed, and the sound of the breathing machine and respirator letting out oxygen in perfect timing set a strange sort of tone. 

“Hi mom, sorry it's so late. We had a few hiccups,” said Jason letting go of Harry before his mother could grab him in a bone-crushing hug. 

Harry stood back next to Logan with Teddy at his side. 

“I thought you’d left. It’s okay, Frank’s been out all day,” she said, drawing back and looking at Harry hesitantly and then at Teddy. She glanced at Logan. “Detective?” 

“Just here to make sure things are smooth,” said Logan genially. 

“Smooth?” 

“A lot of misunderstandings have occurred in the last twenty-four hours, Mrs. Schuyler,” said Harry delicately. “It’s why we’re so late.” 

It was a good thing that Edward and Jean-Claude had sat Teddy down and taught him how and when to lie to strangers and those who weren’t important. It might not seem like a good thing to teach children, but secrets were secrets. Of course they emphasized always telling the truth and being open with the family, but sometimes things needed to be held back. Like the fact that they all participated in an orgy. He was sure it wouldn’t help Jason’s family to know about the orgy and the fact that it was all men. 

Jason was pulled down to sit with his mom who kept petting him. Harry and Teddy found seats across from them and Logan stood at Harry’s side like the perfect guard that he was. 

Harry was still unhappy with her flippant suggestion that Jason try and make Frank happy by bringing home a prostitute. He couldn’t get that particular remark out of his head. 

“Have you seen the changes in the town?” asked Iris. 

“We haven’t seen more than Carol’s Restaurant and the hotel,” Jason waved off.

“Well, they’ve re-done the courthouse. You wouldn’t even recognize it now. They certainly went all out.” 

“Let me guess, the Summerland’s were responsible?” 

Iris nodded stiffly. “Mhmm.” 

It was mostly small talk with Iris making up most of the talk. She kept trying to veer around the Summerland topic, but almost everything about Promise circled back to them in someway, shape, or form. He supposed that considering they built the town it would. 

“You need to come by the house sometime, Jason. We haven’t seen you in years,” said Iris. 

“We’ll see,” said Jason. 

“No, not we’ll see. You can’t just cut all contact with us. We’re your family.” 

“Right.” 

“What’s with that tone?” asked Iris, pulling back and looking at Jason whose face had remained neutral.

Jason shook his head. “I think you and Julie are the only ones who would even want me here, mom.” 

“That’s not true! Everyone misses you, and we love you so much. Please, Jason...” 

But Jason turned and stared at her. “I’m a werewolf now, mom.” 

“Yes, I know.” 

“It means I can smell lies. You have no confidence in your words whatsoever.” She looked as though she’d been slapped, and the devastation on her face was clear. “So why should I bother coming home to a place I hate? To a place that rejects me, and lies to my face?”

“It’s your home!” 

“It’s not.” 

“Yes!” 

“No. Nothing I ever did while being here was good enough. I wrote this place off when I realized that it will never be good enough. St. Louis is my home. If you want to visit St. Louis to see me, that’s fine. But don’t expect me to go out of my way after this. I tried mom. I tried to come back, and see if I could repair what’s been broken. But, being here…” Jason shook his head. “I realize that I can’t fix it. Not even a moment after we stepped off the jet we’ve gotten nothing but trouble. That should have been a clue to just turn around and go back home. But I didn’t. I persisted because I thought it was the right thing to do. Now, I’m not so sure. Do you have any defense at all that doesn’t smell like a lie?”

“That isn’t fair Jason,” said Iris. She bowed her head, and looked as though she were on the verge of tears. 

“Fair? You want to talk fair, mom? You really want to go there?” Jason said cautiously. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve been up to my neck with Summerland bullshit! I’ve had them coming at me from all sides, and then I come here, and between Dad and Roberta I feel like I can’t fucking breathe!” 

“Language, Jason!” 

“No, you have no right to lecture me when there’s no one to lecture you about the lies you’ve told.” Harry had a feeling he was talking about more than her false platitudes. 

“I’m your mother!” Her eyes went cross, and her cheeks began to bloom red. 

“Yeah, my mother. That’s definitely what you are at least,” he sneered causing her to flinch. “A mother who tells me to bring home a prostitute to make Frank Schuyler happy.” 

Her face fell at this, and she looked quickly at Harry who had a blank mask on his face. What did she expect from him? “I-” She clenched her knees. 

“I assure you, mom. I don’t need a prostitute to prove my manhood. I no longer have anything to prove to you, to Dad, to Julie, or to Roberta. There is nothing left to prove when there was nothing there in the first place. Hell, if I wanted to I could have fucked the entire bachelorette party of women last night including the drunk ass bride. But, you know, I didn’t because I can actually be a decent guy when I want to be.” 

“Do you have to say that in front of a child?” Iris gasped at her son. 

“Don’t use me in your defense,” said Teddy with a jut of his lip. Harry ran his fingers through Teddy’s longish hair. 

“We’re all very open with Teddy. No child should be barricaded behind a defensive wall that adults try to put up thinking it’s best for them when really it's only best for the adults. There is nothing embarrassing by what Jason said because it’s true. How is honesty embarrassing?” 

“He’s a child.” 

“For a few more years, yes, and he’s my child. Not yours, Mrs. Schuyler. Your right to judge us was gone the moment you breathed the word prostitute. We are here to support Jason in whatever it is he wants or needs to do. We’re not here for you.” 

“And just who are you to Jason?” Iris demanded. 

“He’s family,” said Jason proudly. “Blood doesn’t matter. As if it ever did,” he said contritely. Iris had nothing to say to this. “It’s because of you guys that I’ve been in therapy since I was eighteen years old. It’s because of you that I can’t stand the idea of a great big house with a white picket fence, a wife, two kids, and a dog.” He looked disgusted at this very idea. “I will never be what you want, mom. Not now, and not ever. So, you want to try again?” 

“How could you do this to me at a time like this?” Iris’ tears fell down her gaunt cheeks. 

“It’s been coming for a long long time. You’re the one who picked the inopportune time, not me,” said Jason solemnly. “I love you, mother. I love Julie, and I guess I love Roberta and even Frank. But, I’m not sure if I want to be around any of you too much. Julie, maybe. You thought you could guilt trip me into doing what you wanted. It’s the whole reason you finally called me to let me know about Frank. You thought you could manipulate me to be what you want, but that’s not going to happen. So, if you are fine with that never happening. I’ll stick around for now. But otherwise I will get back on the jet tomorrow and go back home, and we can pretend this never happened. You can pretend you don’t have the unwanted son, and you can see to Frank’s last breath with my sisters in peace.” 

Harry could sense the note of finality in Jason as he stood, Iris’ shoulders started shaking, and the silent tears fell as she buried her face into her hands.

“Are we ready?” 

“Always,” said Harry standing to meet him. “You want to go back to the hotel or go take a walk?” 

“I don’t care. Just get me the hell out of here.” He wrapped himself around Harry, and hugged him like a child. Harry folded around him, running fingers through his hair and kissing his cheek. Jason rubbed up against Harry’s face with his cheek and into his neck to draw in the scent. 

As they made their way out into the hall with Logan bringing up the rear, Iris managed to get a hold of herself. “Please come back tomorrow!” 

Jason paused, his arm still locked around Harry as he looked over at her. “Okay.” 

Jason had the flirtatious charm turned way up as they stopped by the park on the way back to the hotel. He was rubbing up on Logan and Harry both, and kept swinging Teddy around with an energy that belayed what he’d been feeling in the hospital. 

“Is this how he copes?” asked Logan when Jason and Teddy played a game of tag in the distance. 

“Typically, yes,” said Harry. “He’s been holding back for a long time. He’s one of the sweetest people and it’s very hard for him to actually do mean. I think it takes a lot out of him when he has to put his foot down. He’s the type who will always try to please others, even at the detriment to his own health and sanity.”  _ My, how that sounded familiar. _

“I can see that. But I think you being here has helped him.”

It wasn’t until a quarter to midnight that the four of them returned to the hotel. It seemed that the reporters and media had died down by now, and only a small smattering of flashbulbs and busy-bodies were loitering about in hopes of catching something worthy of the news media. 

Just like last time they slipped in through the back, and Harry took down the notice-me-not charm once they were inside the elevator. 

He had thought by now that all the guards would have buggered off somewhere else, but no. The moment the elevator doors opened, Chuck, Shadwell, and Rowe swooped upon them like great bloody hawks with sharp talons. _ Great, here we go.  _

“He should be in the room! I didn’t see him leave at all!” Shadwell jabbed a finger roughly in Jason’s direction. 

“You weren’t meant to.” 

“Where the hell have you been?” Rowe asked. 

“How is it any of your business?” Harry countered crisply. “Where we go and what we do is not really up to you. We turned down your form of security. We don’t need it. We’ve been perfectly fine on our own. Not a single person even recognized Jason in and out of the hotel.” 

“The Governor-” 

“I don’t give a bloody rat’s arse what the Governor wants. He isn’t my Governor, nor are we his responsibility. I think you three need to stop pestering us and go find Keith Summerland, maybe he’s crossed over into Las Vegas by now with that vampire bride of his.” He couldn’t help but smile cheekily at the color draining from the three men. 

“How did you know about that?” Chuck asked with narrowed eyes. 

“I’m not just a pretty face. In any case, are you going to let us pass? We’d like to get back to our room now for some sleep.”

“Sleep? Or for another fuck?” Rowe sneared. “Don’t need to be a vampire to smell what happened in there.” 

“Whether we decide to sleep or have sex isn’t any of your concern. Now, out of our way.” Harry stepped closer to the guards. “We’ve already told you we don’t need your services so you can be on your way.”

“I’ve got this fellas. They will be well protected, the Governor needn’t worry.” Logan stated as he stepped up along Harry’s side, forcing the three back. 

“Very well. Don’t come crawling back to us if things go sideways.” Shadwell shrugged and stepped to the side to let them pass. 

Harry paused in his footsteps and tilted his head. “Any reason it should?” he asked sweetly. 

“Not at all,” said Rowe. “Have a good night.” And the way he said it as the three of them stepped onto the elevator gave Harry a moment’s pause. 

“I really don’t like them,” said Harry once the doors shut completely. 

“Coming Lupa? Ignore them, it’s what I’m doing.” Jason asked as he was poised to open the door to their room. Logan was standing just behind him while Teddy waited at Harry’s side. 

“Come on Parrain, I want to talk to Papa and Dad before we all go to sleep.” Teddy tugged on Harry’s hand. 

“Yah. Let’s go talk to your fathers, maybe they’ll be with Jean and you can get all three.” Harry shooed Teddy forward as he turned his back to the elevators. A call with his lovers and good night’s sleep for all of them, no sex invovled, sounded like a brilliant idea that he wanted to capitalize on. 

As Jason slid his room key in and opened the door, Teddy let out a giggle. “Still smells like a lot of fun went on in there.” 

Harry huffed. “Yeah, even I can smell it from here.”

Logan however had frozen in the doorway. He reached out to take Jason by the elbow. “Something isn’t right.” 

“What are you talking about?” asked Jason, part way into the room. 

“GET DOWN!” Logan roared. 

A loud ear splitting blast followed by everyone hitting the floor in time, and as the sound pierced the ears of the sensitive wolves in the room there was a blinding flash of thick pluming white smoke.

Harry only had time to seize Teddy and place him beneath him as he dropped to the floor just inside the doors. There was another series of blasts and more white smoke that Harry ended up swallowing and choking when he heard a strangled shout in the distance. He could hear Teddy coughing under him as well.

He tried to call out to Jason and Logan, but the acrid burning clogged his throat and made it hard to breath, and so he did the only thing he could think of doing. He rolled him and Teddy as far away from the center of the blast as he could, trying to get away from the smoke. 

He could hear the sounds of thumps and crashing in the room. A growl here and there amongst the ringing blood in his ears, and he finally managed to roll his way underneath the large bed in the adjoining room. He buried his face into Teddy’s neck and tried to wait out the attack, believing in Jason and Logan’s werewolf abilities to end it soon. His heart-beat thumping in his chest as a smash in the distance had him stiffening. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed or when things became quiet thanks to the constant thrum in his ears, but the white smoke at some point began to clear. Harry knew better than to move once the initial threat had cleared because there was always a second wave after the first, and so he waited as patiently as he dared. He could feed Teddy shaking beneath him, but he was quiet and safe for now. 

He kept his eyes closed, strained his messed up hearing, and heard the sound of a click in the distance like an echo. A door was shutting with a vibrating thud. 

Harry rolled quietly off Teddy who raised his head. “Parrain?” he breathed. 

Harry placed a finger to his lips. “Shh.”

“I don’t smell anything.” 

Harry pulled out his wand and cast a detection spell, whatever had happened it’d been quick. Fast. Too fast for a human to do, and it couldn’t have been a lycanthrope, they’d have heard or smelled Harry and Teddy. Vampire? They had good senses if they were old enough and trained, but he’d learned that not all vampires were created equal in that regard. 

He shimmied his way slowly out from under the bed, the whole place had been wrecked with lamps upturned and the coffee table splintered into a million bits. Harry must have blacked out from the loud blast and ringing in his ears because a fight happened between the time and space that Harry lost. There was a large stain of blood in the middle of the floor. He placed a hand to his ear as it continued to ring. When he pulled the hand back he saw fresh blood. 

Teddy tugged at his boot causing him to look down at the boy. He could see the mouth moving, but could hardly hear anything coming from his mouth. He crouched down and leaned closer. “You’re bleeding and I smell Jason’s blood…” He raised a hand to Harry’s ear. “What happened, Parrain?”

“What? I’m sorry.” He was trying not to go into shock as he suppressed a cough from what he knew was a flash grenade. Jason was gone and so was Logan. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine. I buried my face into you, Parrain, when you grabbed me and took us to the floor. I inhaled some smoke but not as much as you. You’re all bloody, let me help!” 

Harry knew he was in a bit of shock because he remained kneeling on the floor as Teddy disappeared into the bathroom. Normally, he wouldn’t let Teddy out of his sight after that, but he had a feeling no one was coming back after that noise. It would be all quiet for at least twenty-four hours for alibi purposes. 

Teddy came back with a cold wet rag and pressed it to Harry’s ear. He flinched initially in shock and then let Teddy wipe the blood from his ear as he tried to make sense of what had happened. He didn’t have time for a jumbled mind right now; especially one moving slowly in shock. He had to think, but the bloody ringing in his ears was preventing proper thought, and he kept having to lean forward to hear Teddy. 

“Should I call Dad?” Teddy asked getting close enough so that Harry could hear. 

“Let’s wait until I can hear again, baby, does no good if I can’t hear them,” said Harry. “First rule when under attack is to have patience. Especially if you’ve been injured.” 

“Okay, but what are we going to do about Jason? He’s gone.” 

“What?” Harry asked again, as his body forced him to cough to remove more smoke from his lungs.

“What do we do about Jason? And Logan?” Harry hated the fear he could see in Teddy’s eyes. The boy was doing so well, but Harry could tell he was in shock too. He mentally cursed that he wasn’t healthy enough to focus fully on Teddy, but glad that at least one of them was up and moving.

“We’ll find him. Of that I promise you,” said Harry. He took in a deep breath. He could only hope that Logan was as strong as he came off because right now he would have to trust someone he hardly knew. 

Not ideal, but Harry’s gut was hardly ever wrong. 

Once he managed to work through the dizziness and nausea that often came with hearing imbalance, he decided that nothing was too damaged and went ahead with a Healing Potion. He chased it with a lot of ice water to get rid of the coughing and smoke that clung to his throat and lungs. 

It’d been a while since he’d been on this side of this situation. Usually, it was Harry who had to be rescued, and so he admitted to being a little out of his depth, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew how to do this, Edward had taught him and so did his former life. 

He didn’t bother putting the room back together. It would help piece what happened together. “I lost some time didn’t I?” 

“I think you passed out because all your weight was on me at one point,” said Teddy sitting between Harry’s legs on the couch and staring down at the blood that coated the soft cream carpet. “What are we going to do?” 

“I’m sorry, Baby. Do you remember what happened in the room when I blacked out?” 

“I heard Logan and two men. I think they were vampires because I couldn’t hear their footsteps more than I could hear them talking, and they kept calling Jason, Mr. Summerland. I could feel Jason and Logan’s energies transforming but then it stopped suddenly. I think they were shot with something because I heard a ping sound.” 

“Likely a tranquilizer,” said Harry with a nod. Good, he had somewhere to start, and then he thought about it. “Vampires couldn’t have gotten into this room on their own. They would have had to be invited,” he said out loud if only to clear his own thoughts. “But there were three guards outside, pissed off that we slipped Jason out from under them. Is this why? Did they set us up? What were they hoping to accomplish? Use Jason as Keith, and then when Jason dies they could announce Keith’s death, and sweep it all under the rug? They have no idea who Jason is, they can’t know. If they knew the Master Vampire would be in so much trouble. You don’t touch another Master’s pomme, especially a Master of the City. But none of that is going to do any good unless I can track them. Unfortunately I’m not a real werewolf, I can’t smell that far.” 

“I can,” said Teddy looking down at the blood. “Why don’t you use me? I can smell it, and then lead us there.” 

Harry frowned. “Baby… I can’t do that to you. I need to find someone to keep you safe while I hunt this.” 

“Yes you can. It would take too long to find someone trustworthy! I know how to shift into my wolf form. It’s hard to come back after that. But I can do it, and since I’m little I’d just look like a puppy right? So no one will notice that I’m a real wolf would they?”

“You do know there’s going to be a lot of violence and danger?” But, Harry wasn’t completely writing it off because Teddy was right. He was a werewolf, and he knew Jason’s scent well enough, and then there was the blood on the floor. 

“I can handle it,” said Teddy. “I want Jason back! I don’t want him to be hurt because of these stupid people. We have to do something, and I am not staying back this time. I have the invisibility cloak. We could use that if we had to.” 

It was true. “But, if you get in the middle you’ll watch a lot of people die.” 

“If it’s enemies, I don’t care,” said Teddy. “They hurt one of us, they hurt us all. They should burn.” 

“Now you sound like Edward.” 

Teddy beamed. “Proud of it.” 

He cupped Teddy’s cheeks and kissed him softly. “Yes, I’m proud of you too. I’m sorry you had to take care of me directly after. I’m failing in my job as your Parrain if I can’t stay running while you’re in danger.” 

“You can’t hold me back forever, Parrain. I know you love me and worry about me, but I’ll be fine. You’re not failing. I’m not going to turn out like Peter.” 

Harry winced. “You caught that did you?” 

“Uh huh. After what happened last year, and some of the things he’s said. I know he’s a bit messed up. I’m not going to be messed up.” Harry looped an arm around Teddy and drew him close to him. 

“Just don’t want you to see a side of me that I try hard to hide.” He combed through Teddy’s hair and pressed his nose into the back of his head with a sigh. 

Teddy pulled back and looked at him. “Doesn’t matter. You’re my Parrain. We are in this together. I’m yours, right?”

“Yeah, you are.” He took a heavy breath. “Okay. We need to track Logan and Jason and I’m going to have fun with those bastards. Not only that, but punish the Summerlands at the same time for what they’ve done.” A plan began to form, and a slow smile worked its way onto his face. “Shall we get started?” 

“You’re kind of scary.” But Teddy’s big toothy smile told Harry that he liked the scary part of him. 

“If you think this is scary you haven’t seen your Dad when he’s angry.” 

“True. Let’s get them back, Parrain!” He would be seeing a new side to Harry, but that was fine because Harry was Lupa. He was responsible, and for fuck’s sake no one had a right to hurt his wolves. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Once he’d cleaned himself up, and got rid of the trembling shock and dizziness from the blast of the grenade, his first order of business was to grab a clean towel and then let it soak up the blood on the floor. He then conjured a plastic bag to seal in the scent. He added some of Jason’s dirty clothes to the bag to help. 

Teddy was holding onto the folded invisibility cloak while he worked. He couldn’t quite believe he was going to use his godson in this, but he had little choice. He wondered if that reporter was still around? He could make use of him if he was. 

He double checked that the hall was clear of guards and hotel employees before he and Teddy slipped out under a pair of disillusionment charms. 

He followed the feel of the metaphysical tiger one floor below, and found himself standing outside one of the doors. Teddy sniffed. “Is this one of the tigers from last night?” 

“Yes,” said Harry as he knocked on it, and then uncovered himself so that he could be seen. 

It took not even a minute before the door jerked open, and Alex was standing there shirtless and in sweatpants. “You back for more?” he asked with a smirk. 

“No, but I can give you one better,” said Harry pressing a hand to Alex’s lovely muscular chest and pushing his way into the room. 

It was then that Alex saw and smelled the bloody bag in Harry’s hand. “What is that?” 

“Jason was kidnapped and I want your help,” said Harry. 

Alex arched a brow. “Okay, what do you want and what do I get in return?” 

“Exclusive rights to everything I know about the Summerland family.” 

His eyes sparked. “And what do you know? You said you’d never heard of them before coming here.” 

“True, but surely a headline about Keith Summerland running away with a master vampire’s wife would do.” 

Alex gasped. “Are you serious?” 

“Deadly. I need your help to find the three guards from last night. They told the vampires of the master that Jason was Keith, and they’ve taken him. I want him back.” He held up the bloody bag. “I’ll give you everything to run them into the ground and more. Including an exclusive on Jean-Claude if that helps seal the deal.” 

“You want my nose or my claws?” asked Alex. “I’d rather not be outed.” 

“I have the nose with a little help.” He waved his hand and Teddy was unveiled making Alex flinch slightly. “What I want is your help rounding these bastards up. I want to make a statement. A nasty one. I’m going to punish them all, including the governor.” 

Alex whistled. “You’re going for the throat aren’t you?” 

“I am Lupa. He is my wolf and not only that, but he is a dear friend. No one touches them.” 

Alex chuckled, and rocked back on his heels. “I’m in. Sounds like a lot of fun, and it’s been a while since I’ve had that kind of fun. You promise the exclusive?” 

“All you hear you can print. So long as it doesn’t get me in trouble.” 

“Buy me a new camera and the deal is sealed.” 

Harry held out his hand, but Alex’s playful smirk turned deviant as he pulled Harry closer to him, strong slim fingers gliding down the small of Harry’s back to his ass. “Tigers seal deals with a kiss,” he hissed, and Harry let the man kiss him. Beneath his soul, the tigers inside of him stirred and rolled around as Harry eagerly responded back until both were breathless. “You are a very good kisser, Little Queen.” 

“Not another nickname,” Harry groaned, making Alex laugh against his prickling skin. “Okay. let’s not call upon the ardeur, we have things to do. We have men to find and torture.” 

“You okay with the kid witnessing this?” 

“He has to see it sometime. He is a wolf,” said Harry. “Besides, Jason is more than a friend to us. He’s pack and family.” 

“That’s right. So you two can have sex later, right now we have Jason to find! And Logan.” 

“I can respect that,” said Alex. “Can I take a tape recorder?” 

“So long as you don’t record my voice.” 

“I swear it, scouts honor.” 

“Don’t be a scout, those guys are self-righteously annoying.” 

“Tiger’s honor then.” 

“That’ll work.”

“I better put a shirt on for this.” 

“Might want to make it dark,” said Harry. 

“Not my first go around with an enemy,” said Alex excitedly disappearing around the corner leaving Harry and Teddy standing there together. “Just so happens I know exactly where the guards are. One floor below us.” 

“Makes things easy. We can leave from here after we’re done,” said Harry. “I need a general location so that Teddy isn’t taken all around town.” 

“The Summerlands own at least eight properties in the area. A few warehouses here and there that were shut down by the economy falling in the states that still declare lycanthropes illegal.”

“But North Carolina has them legal.” 

“True, but Promise has none. So what’s the story exactly?” 

“Not sure on specifics yet. But I do know Teddy overheard the guards talking. It seems Keith Summerland has eloped with a master’s wife.” 

“I wonder if it has any connection with Jebediah Summerland? He was killed by vampires for seducing the wife of the Master of Charleston, and since they look so much alike it can’t be a coincidence.” 

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” said Harry. 

“Are you sure this Jason isn’t related closer to the Summerlands?” asked Alex coming out with a black form-fitting t-shirt.

“Not for you to add to your exclusive Alex. Let’s make this about the Summerlands, and rip them apart.” 

“But do you know how much it would be worth to know that the Governor might have had an affair? Come on, you can’t tell me you didn’t notice how closely they look like each other?” 

“I can’t answer that,” said Harry. “You may elude if you like, but do not add Jason’s name in anything you hear. Please don’t.” 

“Alright, alright. I won’t.” He stuffed his feet into some shoes and then smirked. “Ready to go?” 

Harry turned to Teddy. “Cloak.” 

Teddy pulled out the cloak he had tucked away, and Alex gawked when he wrapped the silvery fabric around his body and disappeared. “Whoa, what is that?” He leaned down and sniffed the air. “He’s still there?” 

“It’s an invisibility cloak. It’s very rare. One of a kind.” 

“Was he there last night? During all the sex?”

“I went to sleep, but I knew what was happening. I can’t wait to tell Papa, Dad, and Père. They’ll want a memory of it,” Teddy chirped in that cheeky voice he’d been using lately. 

Alex chuckled. “I don’t know whether to be spooked or impressed.” 

“He’s a wolf. He’s going to smell it either way,” said Harry. “It’s always best to just be honest with him. Lies don’t do anything for anyone.”

Instead of taking the elevator, they took the stairs with Alex leading the way. He was tall and broad enough that Harry could remain hidden behind him. “Question now is how do we get them to open up? No one opens for me, you know.” 

“Just let me know if they’re in there or not and I can do the rest. Do you know what all three smell like?” 

“Yup. Been following them for over a week,” said Alex. Harry and Teddy went quiet as they got to the floor.

Harry went ahead and used a layer of magic to add a muffling charm to the hallway floor when they arrived in the middle of the hall in front of a door. Alex pointed. “I can hear them.” 

“Me too,” Teddy whispered. “They’re laughing about us.” 

“Not for long.” 

“Wait! Are you going to make a lot of noise? You should do this discreetly,” Alex hissed. 

“No one will hear me. I muffled the hallway.” 

“Muffled?” 

“Yup. Better than any silencer on a gun.” And with that he flicked his wand causing the doors to blast open with a bang. 

Not a moment after he stepped inside, all three were on their feet, but Harry had a gun in one hand, and his wand in the other. He shot Rowe in the knee. At the same time Shadwell and Chuck drew their pieces, Alex moved at a blinding fast speed. His hand transformed into a tiger striped paw with five extra sharp claws and swiped sending Shadwell falling backwards with a shout of pain as he was ripped open. 

Harry blasted Chuck across the room causing him to smash into the coffee table. He then flicked his wand and sealed the door back shut, and silenced the rest of the room. 

“Hello boys, how are you doing?” Harry asked with a cheerful lilt to his tone. “You made a very big mistake.” 

Rowe tried to go for another gun only for Harry to use his boot and kick him in the throat sending him choking and flailing like a fish as he clutched himself. 

Harry descended on Chuck and summoned all the man’s weapons one by one as the large man tried to back up, winded completely. 

“It wasn’t us!” Chuck tried to shriek. 

“Lies,” said Alex. “I can already feel and taste the lie coming out of your mouth. Even with the elevation in blood pressure. You are lying.” 

“Someone had to let those vampires into our hotel room, and I know it wasn’t me,” said Harry. “So now, you are going to be good boys and tell me where they went or I am going to very slowly cut you into a million pieces, and then serve you to your governor on a plate.” 

“You wouldn’t!” Rowe managed to wheeze only for Harry to slice his wand arm down, causing Rowe to start shrieking when he sent a cutting spell across the shot knee, cleanly severing it from the rest of his body. 

Chuck’s face turned ash white. 

“Now, tell me - where are they?” 

“We don’t know! You know if you kill us you’ll go to prison! You’re a Federal Marshall!” 

Harry snorted at the pitiful attempt of legal threats. “I’d like to see him try. I have a way of erasing everything that ever happened here.” 

Chuck tried to scramble back to his feet, but Harry knocked him back with another flick of his wand. “Now, where are they? Who took him? Why did they take him? You are going to tell me everything, and every lie you speak I will cut something off of one of you. I’ll play a random game like musical chairs, and then I’ll pick a random body part. You better hope that I don’t start with that micro cock of yours because I’ll make sure you don’t bleed out or die as I force you to eat it.”

That had them all cringing, and Alex chuckling. “Wow, you’re vicious. I’m kind of turned on right now,” he confessed. 

“Focus, Alex,” Harry sing-songed. He swayed over to the couch, and he plopped down upon it with a bounce. “So, talk.” He looked at Chuck, and even for a human he could hear the man’s heart racing. ”Tell me a story.” 

Chuck told him that it was the Master of the City of Charleston’s wife, Lenorra, and she’d been in love with Jedidiah Summerland. It seems she either seduced or rolled Keith into falling for her since they looked so much alike, and together they ran off. A hit had been put out, but they thought they could find him and fix him right since the marriage would be invalid. But when they realized that Keith wasn’t ever returning they had the idea of using Jason as a patsy. If they gave them Jason then Keith would be declared dead. Not only would Governor Summerland gain sympathy over his son’s murder by the hands of vampires, but it would also boost his standing with the conservative party who were trying and badly failing to make vampires illegal again. 

Harry asked them if the governor approved of this. Come to find out, he didn’t. It had been Chuck and Shadwell’s idea to sell Jason out. Harry was supposed to have been caught with them, and then ‘fixed’ so that there were no loose ends.

Harry started laughing by the end of it. “You fucking idiots. You have no idea what you stumbled into. You couldn’t leave well enough alone. Jason is far more powerful and stronger than Keith Summerland and his governor daddy. He belongs to the Master of the City of St. Louis, and so if something happened to him, no matter what, the entire line of Summerlands would go extinct in one night. That doesn't even account for me who is engaged to the Master of the City of St. Louis,” he smiled. “Also, engaged to a sociopath and a gorgeous wereleopard. So instead of Keith Summerland being the only one in trouble. All of you would be dead. You’re all such geniuses,” he said cheerfully with a clap. 

“We’ve told you everything. Now. just let us go!” Chuck shuddered. “We can forget this ever happened.” 

“Oh-ho you expect me to let you go?” Harry asked with a cocky smile that was worthy of Draco Malfoy. “You expect me to patch you up and let you walk out of here after you caused this to happen to Jason?” He held up the bloody bag that had gone unnoticed by them. “You have to be kidding me.” 

“You can’t kill us all. We’ll be noticed!” Shadwell managed to wheeze out through the blood. 

“Oh, you’ll be noticed alright. I’ll make it noticed. I’m going to ruin you. I’m going to ruin you and the Summerlands for the trouble you caused me.” Harry stood, and he chuckled again when all the great big men started flinching. “But, I will be nice and let one of you live… let’s see which should it be?” He wanted them to remember this. He wanted them to remember it, and never bother them again. Never even breathe in their direction. “Hey Teddy, what’s that song you sing when you’re trying to pick something?” 

All of them jolted when Teddy came out from under the invisibility cloak. “You mean,  _ eenie meenie miney moe? _ ” He asked with wide-eyed innocence.

Alex laughed. “I like that one. Can I do it?” 

“Sure. Have at it.” 

Harry scoffed when it landed on Rowe. “Nah, let’s skip one, and let you live. How about you, Chuck? Let you live and remember, but never speak a word of what has happened here. You’ll always remember, but you can’t do a thing about it. Every time you try to speak your throat will start swelling up. If you continue, you will suffocate. It’ll be nasty.” 

“You think it’s wise keeping him alive?” asked Alex. 

“If I seal his mind shut. Yeah.” He let off two shots of bright vibrant green light and Rowe and Shadwell dropped dead in an instant. 

“Wh-what are you?” Chuck choked. 

“I am many things. I’m the human servant of Jean-Claude. I’m the lover of three powerful men. I am a wizard, and I am the Lupa. But you’re not going to remember any of that. You won’t remember Alex or Teddy or any sensitive information except the terror you feel when you hear my name or Jason’s name being used. Say night-night!” He waved his wand and Chuck fell under his strong sleeping spell. He then proceeded to Obliviate the man of all memories that were relevant. 

“What are you going to do with these dead weights? And what was that spell?” 

“A Killing Curse. One of the most powerful in my world, the only known curse that could kill something instantly.” 

“You’re kind of terrifying,” said Alex. “I kind of like it. I thought you would do more.” 

“I do have a ten year old. I don’t want to traumatize him that much.” 

“I’m not traumatized. I just want to find Jason,” said Teddy. 

“We will.” 

“Unfortunately they didn’t actually know where he was taken,” said Alex. “I’m sorry about that. I can show you all the properties that belonged to the Summerlands. Or I can help dispose of the bodies?” 

“I don’t need help with the bodies.” He cleaned his mess, transfiguring Rowe and Shadwell into small vases before pocketing them. He returned the room back to its original state except for the blood, and then levitated Chuck onto the bed. Once he awoke he won’t remember anything but Harry and Jason taking their revenge on them, and he won’t be able to say a word to anyone without risking his own life. 

Alex was suitably impressed. “I imagine the things you can do with magic like that.” 

“I don’t typically abuse it,” said Harry. “Most of this I just did could get you a life sentence in my world. Highly illegal, but effective.” He turned to Teddy. “Are you okay?” He knew that this hadn’t been ideal. But, he also knew that when it came to wolves, pack was everything and to Teddy, Jason was pack. It hadn’t been a senseless torture or death. It all had a point. Harry didn’t have the luxury of second guessing anything. 

Teddy nodded. “I’m more than fine. Let’s go get Jason!” 

Harry knew that time was of the essence, and so before they left the hotel he made a call to Jean-Claude. 

“Mon Amour, was not expecting a call from you so soon.” Harry heard purred over the line.

“Jean, we have a situation.”

“A situation? Are you all alright?”

“No.” Harry took a breath.

“They stole Uncle Jason and Mr. Logan!” Teddy called out. Harry placed a hand on top of the boy’s head, lightly petting him for comfort.

“What happened?”

“You need to call the Master of Charleston and tell him to return Jason and Logan Winters now.”

“Of course, mon Amour, but why were they taken? Asher, find out who the Master of Charleston is and get them on the line.” Harry could hear movement from Jean’s side. He must have been in a meeting with Asher and Requiem.

“I’m not sure what exactly happened historically, but Jason looks like he could be the twin of Keith Summerland.”

“And who is Keith Summerland?”

“The bastard who left his fiancee the night before their wedding to elope with the Master of Charleston’s wife.”

“Non.” Jean-Claude voiced his surprise. It wasn’t easy to surprise the vampire and usually Harry took pride when he could, but not this time. Not with Jason’s life on the line. 

“Yes. Keith is the son of Governor Summerland who is currently running for President. I’ve seen pictures, Jean, and he could have been Jason’s father. They look so much alike that we have been arguing with everyone in this shit town on the fact that Jason is not Keith. Summerland guards knew Keith ran off with the wife and offered Jason up as Keith instead. We were ambushed when we got back to our hotel. Jason and Logan were taken, Teddy and I are safe.”

“Logan? Ah, the potential solution to a problem. Mon Chaton told me about him. That master will be made to see reason. Give me some time, I will call you when we conclude our conversation.”

“I don’t know how much time I can give you, Jean. I’ve taken care of the Summerland guards who set this up and have plans in place to blow this scandal up on the Summerlands. Teddy and I are going to go hunting for Jason. Enough blood was left in that room that we can track it.”

“I’m going to help Parrain in my wolf form!” Teddy called out proudly.

“I will hurry. Hopefully no battles will be needed. Requiem get me information on this Keith Summerland, and photos. Stay safe both of you. Te amo.”

“Love you too.” Harry hung up the phone, took a deep breath and let it all out in one burst. “Hunting time.”

oOo

Harry couldn’t help but think about how bizarre his life had become when twenty minutes later he was walking down the sidewalk, green leash in hand and a brown wolf puppy on all fours pulling the reigns. He was so very cute the way he sniffed the ground. His ears twitched with every sound coming and going. His tail was also flapping around him. Yeah. He was quite excited. Good thing it was night out, and so there were few people out and about. It wasn’t like the District or St. Louis which was always awake no matter the time of day. Everyone in Promise buttoned up the moment it got dark. Teddy was a deep chocolate brown with a dusting of lighter brown across his back and along his belly. Harry thought the bits of light brown on his ear was really cute. 

Alex was happily beside him, and Merlin could the reporter talk? He was chatty, and he was also rubbing up against Harry at random. 

Harry gave Teddy a good whiff of Jason’s scent and off he went. Unfortunately, the pup got distracted a few times. Particularly when a squirrel went rushing across the sidewalk. Teddy started yapping and rushing toward it. 

“Yes, yes I know it’s a squirrel. Come on now, Teddy Bear,” Harry cooed as Alex snickered. 

“His senses are likely being overloaded. He’s so young,” said Alex. “but I think we’re in the right direction. I may not be as good as a wolf, but blood is the strongest scent. You can’t not smell it once you do.” 

One of the warehouses sat way off a gravel road on the edge of a large hillside. It was once a brewery that had since been shut down according to Alex. For fifty years Promise had been what was called a dry city where alcohol had been forbidden. It was only the last twenty or so that it was now legal so all breweries had shut down. It was old if the rusted distillery vats were anything to go by, and Teddy began to whine as he hunkered down with his ears going back. 

“Yep, this is the place.” 

“I wonder if Jean managed to get through the Master or not? Just in case.” He switched hands with the leash, and went searching through his belt of goodies that he rarely ever used. Glazer round Ruger with the silver bullets coated in holy water. He could do magic, but in case there was some big bad in there Harry didn’t want to give all his tricks away. 

A lot of the area around the brewery had grown up making the weeds at least waist high and the few warehouse windows were boarded up with a No Trespassing sign splashed over the massive iron doors. 

It was like all of the light in the area had been sucked out leaving their surroundings one big black giant hole of darkness. Not a streetlight or lantern in sight to guide their way. It was a good thing Alex was a weretiger, Teddy a werewolf, and Harry being a human servant gave him a good field of vision.

“Are we sneaking in or-?” Alex lowered his voice to barely a whisper, and the two of them naturally hunkered down within the weeds.

Harry didn’t see much of a point. “If these vamps are any good there’s little point. Maybe charging in will throw them off more than if we sneak up on them.” He reached a hand out to touch the top of Teddy’s fuzzy brown hair. “Please stay right beside me, okay?” Teddy let out a whimper and licked Harry’s palm in answer. 

As they made their way toward the doors the loud sound of a crash sent Harry and Alex to their knees. Harry pushed Teddy behind them when the heavy doors shuddered, and a strong wave of energy from inside caused Alex to double over with a groan. His eyes turned a natural shade of reddish orange. 

“Power… such strong energy… if this keeps up I’m going to change… I’ve never felt anything like it.” 

It couldn’t have been Jason, he wasn’t this strong, so Logan? Or had the vampires employed lycanthropes? He didn’t have much time to contemplate this because the doors themselves bent before exploding outward. As the metal went flying, Harry turned his back and curled over Teddy to ensure he wasn’t injured by any flying debris, only turning back when he was sure it was safe. 

What, or rather who, appeared from that entry was the largest human-wolf hybrid that Harry had ever seen in his life. He towered well above seven foot, and his fur was a rich dark chocolate with patches of black. His claws were long and sharp like ten switchblades. His shoulders were big and wide, and his eyes were a deep green with a hint of yellow. The hands had to be as big as Harry’s head. The wolfman walked on very powerfully muscled legs, and Harry knew that this was Logan.

_ What power! Is this the difference between born and forced? Will Teddy become like this? _ Harry could feel his own wolf standing at attention, the knowledge that this was not only an Alpha, but an Ulfric. A real true blue Ulfric, and one without a pack. A bloodied half alive body was propelled into the air before falling with a sickening crunch. 

“Is this-?” Harry walked over and stared down at the bloodied man. 

“You came,” growled Logan. “How did you find us?” 

“What do I look like to you? I went straight to the source,” said Harry placing his hands on his hips, and then waved at Alex. “He helped.” 

Alex smirked. “More like I sat back watching the show. I must say you have to be the strongest werewolf I’ve ever met.” 

Teddy yapped from where he ran up to Harry’s side. Logan bowed his head, and one large hand came down gently to pet Teddy. The boy’s tail wagged hard enough his butt shook. 

“Teddy also helped, so, Jason?” 

“Inside. He’s wounded, but I managed to force him into a change and patch him up for the most part.” Logan waved behind him. “Meet Edmond, the Master of Charleston’s human servant. He wasn’t willing to listen.” 

“Nice, looks like Jean was too late with his calls to Charleston. Not that I care. You don’t do that to what is ours.” 

“He’s not dead yet,” said Logan barely containing a snarl. 

Harry pulled out his wand and he pointed it down at the moaning bloodied man. “Doesn’t matter either way what Jean has to say. He attacked, could have killed myself and Teddy, and he took Jason. None of that is acceptable. Avada Kedavra!” A bright bolt of green light, and the man went completely limp. Completely dead, and good chance the Master of the City was dead too. 

Good. 

Logan’s transformation back was slightly faster than Micah’s transformation, must be a benefit of being a born were. Though his clothes were left in a ripped and shabby state they didn’t stay that way for long after a wave of Harry’s wand. That was when wolf Jason came limping out with a whimper and Harry rushed to his side. 

“Jason?” 

One of his legs was bent, and his furry belly had been hastily taped up by a t-shirt. Teddy trotted over to sniff at him and lick at his wounds. Jason nuzzled Teddy back. Harry took hold of Jason by the muzzle and brought him around to be inspected only to be licked. “Argh, looks like you’re more than fine if you can try and lick me to death.” Harry ran his hands up and scratched at his ears and neck, lightly pushing his Lupa energy through to him. “It’s over, you’re safe.” Harry whispered as he cuddled into the giant wolf. Jason let out a light huff before nuzzling Teddy again.

“Come on, let’s all get out of here. We can make a stop at my house before continuing with whatever you have planned.” Logan pressed a hand to Harry’s back and Jason’s head. “Or we can go somewhere else, but we need to vacate the area before anyone comes to investigate the explosion. And need to see to the rest of Jason’s wounds.”

Turns out, when Harry finally called Jean-Claude back, he had been on the phone with the Master of Charleston, who had been arguing with Jean-Claude, when he met with a very painful death. Turns out killing one instantly with a spell doesn’t not mean the other dies the same way. Jean-Claude had taken great pleasure recording it while reminding the Master that those of Belle’s bloodline cherished their pommes. 

Edmond was shipped to the former Master’s second, cut into a dozen pieces in a small box with a note from Harry warning them of any further action. While Keith Summerland did indeed run away with Charleston’s wife, they were nowhere to be found. Part of Harry hoped the two knew to keep running, if he ever met them he might not let them live just for causing all of this. 

Thanks to Harry, with the help of Alex and Logan, they made examples of Summerland’s security crew. Boy, the look on Peterson’s face when he saw Shadwell and Rowe stuck on wooden crosses in front of the brand spanking new courthouse with a flaming scythe carved into their foreheads had been epic. Alex was nice enough to get him printed photos of it. It’d been a media frenzy that day. 

Alex got the exclusive he was promised and Summerland most definitely pulled out of the running for President. While the police tried to investigate what had happened, Logan assisted in ensuring that they came up dry and empty. However, the small town of Promise was buzzing. Things like this just didn’t happen in a small town. 

Every Master in America now knew what would happen should anyone in Jean-Claude’s kiss be in danger, whether it human, vampire, or lycanthrope. It gave Jean-Claude a hell of a lot of credit with the older more experienced preternatural Masters of the City; and not only that, but Harry was now convinced that bringing Logan home with him was a great idea. It especially helped with how much he seemed to really like Jason. A feeling that was definitely mutual if the constant couch cuddling was any indication.

Harry would call his visit to the ‘Promise Land’ a success. 

Sort of.


	11. Chapter Eleven

How anyone could not love Jason for simply being the good hearted man that he was always tended to shock Harry. But then again, most people had a habit of destroying whatever small amount of expectations that they had. 

As Edward would say, people were idiots. 

They ended up staying in town a few days longer than expected since Jason was still wounded, and he didn’t heal as easily as an Alpha. Harry had offered to use a spell, but Jason insisted on waiting it out. It seemed that Edmund and the vampires had taken a nasty chunk out of his side. Logan had done wonders using his blood to help heal him, but it was still slow going, and returning back to human form was excruciating for Jason. They couldn’t risk sending him to the hospital in case questions started rising, but Alex was a wonderful distraction with the media. After the whole Keith Summerland debacle, no one was interested in the wedding that wasn’t happening any longer. 

They’d been in Promise for almost four days when Teddy stuck his head in his bag and came out with a frown. “Parrain! I’m running out of clothes.” 

“I know. Both of us are.” Edward and Micah weren’t too pleased that Harry was remaining in Promise even longer than expected and without another pomme. Logan had offered to help, but it was too much like brother and brother, Harry realized. It’d be like if he did Draco.  _ Yick! _ They were however pleased with how he handled the situation. It had made preternatural news, and not only that but Jean-Claude was reaping a hell of a lot of benefits. Though the Master of Vegas was a bit miffed that Harry had called one of his weretigers to his side, he forgave Harry once Jean-Claude explained the situation.

It always paid to keep in good with others masters if you could. Never knew when you needed them, and considering the Master of Las Vegas has the majority of the tigers in his city with his wife as his animal to call, they may very well need him in the future. Good thing he didn’t know that, otherwise he’d try and take advantage of it. 

Vampire politics and games. Harry let out a sigh and fell onto the bed backwards, Teddy giggled at him, and Logan made his way into the room. 

“You look down and out.” 

“Just thinking about the vampire politics, they can be a pain in my ruddy arse!” He huffed indignantly. 

Logan chuckled. “Is it truly that bad?” 

Harry raised up slightly and tilted his head. “Jean-Claude’s isn’t nearly that bad. It’s like everyone’s one big family until someone decides to barge into our town, then we all have to be formal. And those with the intent on taking it over or challenging Jean-Claude? They don’t last long. You know he’s the first sourdre de sang in America, right?” 

“I’ve heard through the supernatural grapevine,” said Logan, coming down to sit at Harry’s side. 

“Where’s Jason?” 

“Resting on the couch. He’s almost healed, he’s started talking about going to see his father again.” 

Harry made a face. “Scratch that. Give me vampire politics instead.” 

Logan barked in laughter. “That bad, huh?” 

“I don’t like seeing Jason miserable, and I hate being around overly religious homophobic people.” 

“Get in line. I think it’s a long one. But, at least Jason is going to get some closure. He seems pretty determined. Not at all torn up like he was a few days ago.” 

“Good. Merlin, they remind me so much of my own relatives. It’s sickening.” And here he thought the Quinlan’s had been bad. But then he hadn’t spent very long in their presence, and from what Ellie had told him, Jeff was doing pretty good. He’d be about seventeen now? Something like that. “What’s he want to do exactly? We need to come up with something to tell them as to why we’ve not been to the hospital.” 

“I’m sure you can think of something,” said Logan smirking. “You’re good at that.” 

“Have to be with all the trouble we get into. Usually over someone else. I assure you we’re quite law abiding… most of us,” he said pursing his lips at the thought of Edward. “Okay, scratch that. No one really is these days. It’s subjective.” 

“Always has been, and when you’re a were you see things from a completely different perspective. For example murder is a crime, but is an execution? Or defense?” 

“I can’t say I’ve always been gray. I grew up with what you’d call a white hat life. Good versus evil sort of thing, and it wasn’t until I became an adult that I learned that there’s no such thing as either.” It wasn’t the first time that Voldemort had been right about something. “Everyone has their own individual line. Everyone thinks they know where the line is, but they don’t.” 

Logan smiled. “Sounds like something my grandfather used to say.” 

“Once upon a time, I saved someone because of the white hat ideal. He betrayed my parents, sent my godfather to prison for over a decade, and yet I saved him. Not a year later was I kidnapped, and used in a ritual for a Dark Lord to return.” 

“Jason told me some about your past life. He didn’t like to say too much, but he does tell me enough to get a rather dark picture. Especially as the way I hear it you were a child.” 

“Yup. I was cheated and lied to all my life.” He waved his hand over at Teddy who was beyond the arch in the dining area playing with his darts. “It’s why I refuse to lie to him. It’s why I refuse to keep things from him even at the cost of his innocence. My world had a great big war. I was unfortunately at the epicenter of it.” 

“Why?”

“Short answer. I couldn’t die as a baby, and the strong bad guy didn’t like it, and the good guys wanted to use me.”

“Lupa.” Harry looked over to see Jason standing with his phone in hand. He looked like a little boy in his rumpled loose fitting jeans and an overly large t-shirt. Harry had a feeling that the t-shirt was Logan’s. No one he knew was that big and strong around here. “Julie just called. Frank’s awake and asking if we’re still here. She wants us to come back once more.”

“Do you want to go back? We’ll support your decision Jason.” Harry stood and walked over to him. “Whatever you want. Do you want to wait until you’re fully healed?”

“No, I should go once more. Now, before I change my mind. See what they want and finalize my response. One way or another.”

“We’re here for you then.” Harry pulled Jason into a hug as Teddy came running over. 

“Are we headed back out?”

“Yes, Teddy Bear, going back to the hospital one last time.” Harry smiled at the boy. 

“Ok! As long as it will help Uncle Jason.” 

“I won’t know until we’re done, buddy.”

“Then the sooner we get you there the sooner you’ll know.” Logan stepped forward. “You look good in my clothes.” He whispered in Jason’s ear. Harry grinned when he heard it and saw Jason’s face turn a light red. He never knew the flirty stripper to blush, guess all it took was the right alpha.

It was nice being able to walk out the front doors of the inn instead going through the back or the employee’s side doors. Now that the media knew Keith Summerland was no longer in Promise, there was no one around to bar their way. Harry had spelled out the wrinkles in Jason’s t-shirt, and they took Logan’s car to the hospital. Straight there, no stops or stalls, and no looky-loos with a hundred questions that had nothing to do with Jason. Harry noted that Jason didn’t seem so tense or anxious this time. 

Harry wondered exactly what sort of reception they were going to get? 

“You’re here!” Jason’s mother was sitting between Iris and Roberta when the four of them came in through the doorway. Julie rushed Jason for a hug. 

“I see you’ve brought your security again,” Roberta snarked. 

“Roberta,” Iris moaned. “Can we please stop?” 

“Yes, Roberta. Good idea to stop,” said Jason with a big cheesy grin. 

“After what happened to the Summerlands it’d be a shame if something happened to Jason all because of appearances,” said Logan, clasping his hand over his wrist in front of him as he stood just to the left of the door. 

“Oh, I heard about that! It was so awful!” Iris gasped. 

“They were found on crosses outside the courthouse,” said Julie with big Jason-like wide-eyes. “I’ve never seen anything like it before!” 

“Word to the wise. Do not run away with a Master’s spouse,” Harry chirped. No reason for them to ever think he had anything to do with it. Let’s blame everything on dead vampires. Yep. It always works. 

“Where have you been then?” asked Roberta. 

Jason side-eyed Harry who smiled pleasantly. “We’ve been hiding. I made friends with a reporter in town, and explained the situation to him. So we’ve been hiding out this whole time until the media storm blew over. It’s also thanks to Logan here that we’ve been able to safely keep our own cover while not getting in the mix of it all.” 

Jason bobbed his head. 

“Is that right?” Harry turned to the doorway to see Frank was sitting behind them in a wheelchair. The nurse who had been pushing him left to return to her duties seeing the room full.

“Frank? You’re out of bed?” Jason asked in surprise. “Thought you were just in the bathroom.”

“It’s dad, boy,” Frank growled. He still looked withdrawn, and his eyes looked like hollow dark pits. But he was mobile. He had a portable IV in his skinny pale arm. But, Harry was drawn back to the darkness of his eyes. A glint of intelligence shined through the exhaustion. “So that’s what happened with them, eh?” He continued on. 

“I guess so, sir,” said Harry keeping eye contact. “What else could have happened?” 

Frank stared at Harry long and hard for a few moments before throwing his head back and laughing. It was such a loud rumbling laugh that it filled the room. It stunned Iris, Julie, and Roberta. Jason was all sorts of confused, and Harry tilted his head. 

“Glad to see you’re in good spirits,” said Harry casually folding his arms across his chest. 

“Frank? Are you alright, honey?” Iris moved over to his side, and he batted her hand away. 

“Never better, Iris.” He dropped his chin to his chest, a strange sort of smile on his face, and then he shook it. “Guess you reap what you sow, huh?” 

“Something like that. How’s the cancer?” Harry asked instead of responding. He had a feeling that Frank was sharper than he let on. But no way would Harry cop to it. Better to leave well enough alone. 

“Doc says it’s going into remission,” said Frank. “Still have to be hooked up to these wires, and I’ll be in the hospital for some time, but if it stays in remission for the next couple of weeks I can get out of this place.” 

Jason smiled small. “I’m glad.” 

“No you’re not. You had hoped it killed me.” 

“Frank!” 

“Dad!” Roberta gasped. 

“That’s not true,” said Jason with a frown, turning and looking at him fully. “I’d never wish death on anyone. At least anyone around me,” he amended. 

“Guess that’s true. You’ve always been soft,” Frank grunted. 

“If that’s what you call soft. Sure. I just call it being decent.” 

Iris had a strange look of relief on her face, and Roberta seemed confused. Julie kept hugging Jason’s side as if she were nervous. 

“When are you leaving?” 

“Probably tomorrow.” 

“So soon?” Iris raised her head. “Jason, can’t you not stay?” 

“No. I have to get back. Harry has to get back. It’s very important he gets back soon.” Not to mention Jean-Claude was going to need his pomme back. “I’m needed in St. Louis, but - uh - I’ll be around,” he said finally. 

“Really?” Julie brightened. 

“Sure. If you want me.” He looked at Julie when he said this. He meant her. He didn’t quite mean the others, Harry could tell. 

“We have to go home or my parents are going to hunt Parrain down and drag him back. You don’t want them in this town, might not be anything left,” Teddy giggled from his place next to Harry. The boy was swinging his arms back and forth. 

Harry looked down. “You’re not wrong. I’ve had them calling every other hour. Not to mention I have a lot of raisings booked in the next couple of weeks.” 

“And a wedding to plan. Hopefully, that wedding will go better than the last one we almost got mixed up in,” said Jason grinning. 

Harry nudged him. “I think we’re going to take our time on that. Merlin knows Jean has probably taken up the entire Circus with plans.” 

“Uh huh. He was already doing that weeks ago. No, not weeks. Months.” 

“You’re getting married?” asked Julie with a big smile. “Congratulations.” 

Roberta snorted. “To a man? I hardly think that’s congratulations.” 

“Roberta,” Iris groused. 

Julie rolled her eyes. “Get with the times Bobbi.” 

“It’s Roberta.” 

“Then get with the times!” she snapped. 

“I guess I am,” said Harry, pretending Roberta didn’t even exist. “Still a bit of a surprise for me to be honest with you.”

Iris and Julie were trying to make plans for Jason to return to Promise, and Roberta was sulking from her position. Frank on the other hand was staring at Harry. “I think I’d like something to drink. Clear liquids only. You want to roll me?” 

“Sure,” said Harry. “Teddy, you want a Sprite?” 

“Yes!” said Teddy. “I’ll stay here and make sure everyone’s being good.” 

Harry ruffled his hair, and swooped around to take hold of the back of the wheelchair. Roberta frowned. “What are you doing?” 

“I want to talk to him, Roberta. You stay put,” said Frank. 

Harry smirked, and wheeled the man out of the room and down toward the vending machine. “I’m not answering any questions.” 

“I’m not asking,” Frank grunted. “How far can we get before he’s not listening?” 

“Probably don’t have to go far considering all the oxygen and machine noises on the floor. Why?” 

“You know, don’t you? You’ve seen it, right?” 

“Maybe. It depends on what I’ve seen and what I haven’t seen.” 

“Diplomatic. Just what I’d expect from death.” 

“How do you know I’m death?” 

“I can feel you, kid. I can feel the shadows of death all around you. I hear it in my sleep every night. I don’t understand that magical malarky, but I know what I feel. It was you who hung those men outside the courthouse.” 

“You can’t prove it.” 

“I don’t want to. I just know. I’ve watched the news. That’s about all you can do when strapped down to a bed. He got hurt again, didn’t he?” 

“Do you even care?” 

“I suppose I deserve that,” said Frank as they appeared in the small empty cafeteria. Harry let go of the back of the wheelchair and pulled out some dollar bills while at the same time silencing the room in case anyone could listen. “I guess I never really cared either way what Jason was or wasn’t.” 

“That much is obvious.” 

“Iris and I had separated for a while. It was my fault. I’ve always had a temper. We dated while we were separated like most couples do, and when she got pregnant with Jason, we got back together. He was our reconciliation baby.” 

“So, what happened?” Harry asked, already knowing the answer. 

Frank looked down, clasping his clammy hands together as Harry punched the Sprite button, and the tell-tale clank had it dropping down. He pulled one out and sat it aside before feeding the machine again. “I thought I finally had a son of my own. I thought that he just looked like Iris, until I saw the twins. Then I knew, I knew she’d been with Summerland.” 

“And that matters-?” 

“Do you not get it? He isn’t mine.” 

Harry turned at this as a second can dropped out of the machine. “You chose to be in his life. That’s as good as anything. Blood and DNA doesn’t really matter. If it’s in your heart to hate a child for being something he can’t help, that’s on you. Not on Jason, not on Iris.” 

“It was more than that. He wasn’t the boy I wanted. He didn’t do sports. He didn’t do the things other boys did.” 

“You can’t choose children, and children don’t choose you.” 

Frank gave Harry an unfriendly look. “You have no right to say that.” 

“I have every right because Jason means the world to me. Also, Teddy isn’t mine biologically, he’s my godson, but that didn’t stop me from making him my son legally.” He pressed his back to the machine. “Jason means the world to a lot of powerful people, Frank. What you can’t give him, I’m sure we can. It’s this meeting that will determine whether he will come around again.” 

“Are you going to keep him away from us?” asked Frank heatedly. 

“No. It’s not my decision. It’s his entirely.” Harry emptied his eyes in much the same way that Edward’s naturally were, and Frank flinched as the room seemed to lose temperature. 

“You’re right. He wasn’t what I wanted. I’ve half-hated him all his life. I blamed him for not being what I wanted him to be. Part of me still does, but part of me realizes in these last few days that I’ve lost what little I could have had. I never saved him. I never helped him. I only ever hurt him.” 

“It’s not too late.” 

“I don’t know about that.” 

“Whether it is or not, doesn’t matter. It’s a question of how do you want to die Frank? How do you want to go out? I assure you there is more to Death than an endless sleep, and a Heaven and Hell is what you make of it. There are no Devils, there are no Gods. It’s your choice.” 

“My choice. Do I have a choice?” asked Frank. 

“You do. Everyone has a choice. It’s up to you whether to live and die with that choice or not. Jason might leave here and you will never hear from him again. He will never speak to your wife or your daughters. He will never look your way again, and me and a dozen others will make sure he forgets your existence if that happens.” Frank flinched at this. “Since we’ve come into town all we’ve gotten is hell because of the Summerlands. I assure you if I ever see this Summerland governor, I might be the last thing he sees for all the hell he’s put us through.” He reached down and took the Sprite, and cracked it open before handing it over to Frank. 

He took the one on the counter for Teddy, and they wheeled back to the room in utter silence. 

By the time they left the hospital, it was late mid-afternoon. Almost everyone by now was hungry. Jason seemed to be deep in thought. 

“Are you going to tell him what Frank said?” broached Logan. 

“No need. I’m going to show him later,” said Harry with a smile. 

“No doubt he said a lot,” said Jason bitterly. “It’s not him I’m having anything to do with. It’s Julie and I guess mom. He doesn’t deserve it. Lupa, what do you think?” 

“Your call,” said Harry seeing the lost look on his face. “But, if you want my opinion, Julie hasn’t done anything, and seems to really love you. Your mom does too, even if her actions are bad. As for the other two…” 

Jason winced. “Yeah, me and Roberta never got along. She was always the perfectionist. The goody-two shoes of the family. She did everything and anything Frank ever wanted, but for Frank it was never good enough because she was a girl, and me… well…” he threw his head back and laughed. “He knows doesn’t he?” 

Harry leaned over the center divide and kissed Jason on the chin. “Yeah, he knows.” 

“One thing Frank isn’t, is stupid. I don’t know what I want to do. I guess I’ll play it by ear.” 

“You could tell your sister and mother to come to you in St. Louis instead of the other way around?” 

Jason nodded. “Probably. For now, let’s just get back home.” 

“You coming with us, Logan?” 

Logan laughed. “Guess I have no choice. I have a Lupa and a Little Wolf to look after,” he said with a natural sparkle in his eyes and a glance at Jason. “No doubt I’ll have to prove myself.” 

“Probably, but it shouldn’t be too hard. Your biggest hurdle will be Jamil and Shang-Da. Shang-Da is one of the smartest men in the pack, and not because he’s Asian. I hate that stereotype.” 

“Meng-Die is Asian, and she’s dumb as a box of rocks,” Jason muttered. 

Harry grinned. “I didn’t say anything.” 

“I did!” 

“Who is Meng-Die?” asked Logan. “She another wolf?” 

“Hah, no. She’s one of Jean’s children,” said Harry. “She doesn’t have the ardeur, but she has the lustful drive like those of Belle Morte’s line. So it causes her to get a bit - insane at times.” 

“Insane?” 

“Oh yeah.” 

“She’s had to be locked up a few times, and Edward has had about enough of her.” 

Jason chuckled. “Edward must really care about Jean to let her live.” 

“Ya think?” 

“Edward,” Logan remarked. “And he is-?” 

“Part of my core,” Harry explained. 

It was nice to see Jason’s flirtatious and playful smirk come back to life. It’d been either missing or faked during this whole debacle. “Really, Lupa, is that all you’re going to say about Edward?” 

“What should I say? If he’s as good of a detective as he thinks he is, he’ll notice it right away.” 

Logan blinked, and briefly took his eyes off the road. “Is this another test?” 

“Nope. No test. It’s just Edward is a hard man to explain without having ever met him. He is simply Edward. By the way, if you’re serious, I can get in touch with the Sergeant of RPIT. Zeze will surely love having someone new on the force. Especially someone who knows his preternatural stuff. It’ll be the easiest in you’ll ever get. Zeze owes me a lot of points.” 

“Do I want to know why?” Logan asked. 

Harry grinned. “His Lieutenant went bat-shit crazy. He was too human to handle things, and I didn’t press charges. I could, and I still could. But I don’t.” 

“Huh. Sounds to me like St. Louis is a whole lot more entertaining than Promise.” 

“Mhmm.” 

“So, Uncle Jason, are you going to be happy again?” asked Teddy butting in as he leaned over the seat across Harry to where Jason was sitting in the front with Logan. Harry shifted and seized the boy’s legs and tipped him over the edge. Everyone laughed as Jason grabbed the gangly boy to get him better situated. 

“Don’t make me wreck now,” Logan laughed as Teddy’s hair turned a shocking green like the streetlight they passed beneath. 

Jason smiled that beautiful real smile as he cupped Teddy’s cheeks. “You bet, buddy.” He kissed Teddy on the nose, and the little boy wound his arms around Jason’s neck. 

Really, could Teddy be anymore cute?

oOo

It was the middle of the night, their last night in Promise, and Harry had to admit that he was positively famished, and not for food. He awoke after a couple hours of sleep with a heat roaring through him from his head down to his toes. He moaned as he rolled only to press himself into the chest of the familiar sharp scent. It had to be a dream. It’d been over a week since he saw his men last, and merely thinking and smelling one of them had his body flaring. 

Logan was great, and so was Jason, but they weren’t replacements for the three men he loved most. And because he still hardly knew Logan, paired with the fact that sex with the alpha felt like sex with a sibling, sex with him was completely unsatisfying. 

He shuddered when a hand caressed his neck, and if skin could sizzle it would. He moaned out when he heard “Wake up, Baby.” 

Harry’s eyes fluttered, creasing open to the darkness only to gasp when he saw those beautiful chartreuse leopard eyes staring so lovingly right down at him. “M-Micah?”

“Yes, Nimir-Ra. I’m here.” and before Harry could question or even contemplate his dream, those perfectly pouty lips sank down on him. It ripped all thought and questions from his mind as the hunger struck true, and he rolled them so that Harry was on top. 

Micah removed what little clothes he had on, and Harry rolled his hips as he ran his hands up the man’s chest. He dipped down and began to kiss at the skin causing Micah to hiss when his tongue swirled around his nipple. 

“Fuck… how long has it been since you’ve fed, Baby?” He moaned as Harry left wet trails down his smooth skin. 

“Missed you. Missed you all,” Harry moaned as he sucked at the taste and scent. Micah drew him up, and their tongues melted together. “It’s not the same.” 

“Of course not. You’re ours and we’re yours.” 

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Baby.”

“Where’s Edward?” 

“Grilling your new friend. I couldn’t wait to get to you. I sent Teddy to help,” Micah rolled them, and Harry’s body convulsed when Micah shimmied down between his legs and took his throbbing hard cock into his mouth and sucked deep. 

“Hah…!” Micah’s touch sent him into a hypersensitive overdrive, and he clung to the man’s chocolate curls as he was devoured. 

He used some magic to coat his entrance as Micah spread his thighs wide and ran his tongue up and down the smooth entrance to his balls, and back to his cock. A stream of hot white cum poured out, making contact with Micah’s mouth and his own stomach. Micah chuckled, and lapped at him. 

“Delicious.” He sucked back up Harry’s body as he gently worked a finger into Harry. Harry reached down to unfasten Micah’s belt and jeans, and pulled his large girth out with a fisting squeeze. Micah bucked into his hand as their tongues met again. 

“Fuck him already, Alpha before he explodes.” Harry moaned when his hair was fisted by Edward, and he was drawn back to stare into those pitiless cold blue eyes. 

“Missed you.” 

“I know, Little Raven. I you.” He dived his mouth down onto Harry’s at the same time that Micah pushed his way inside. 

“Hn!” Harry’s heart beat and thumped loudly. It surged from his chest up into his throat, and the ardeur began to spill out with hot hunger as it lapped and soaked up all the lust. Harry ground his hips against Micah, moaning for more as Edward shifted onto the bed, and freed his own cock. Harry tilted his head enough so that Edward could push into his mouth all the way down until he was almost gagging just as Micah slammed harder with a wriggling roll of Harry’s hips. 

His second wave of orgasms came in a flurrying rush, followed by a spray from Edward that went right down his throat. Micah removed him from Edward’s cock and sucked his lips and mouth. Harry happily shared the cum in his mouth with Micah. Both moaned and Micah kept his movements fluid and smooth, deep and long. 

Harry soon shifted so that he was on top, and Edward lay back fisting Micah’s hair as he watched Harry grind himself down on Micah’s large cock. 

“Fuck… Fuck…!” Micah gripped Harry tight as their leopards roared to life, and with the mystical energy between them, Micah began to change while Edward smirked. 

“Keep going, don’t you dare stop,” Edward growled shifting so that he had a perfect view of Micah growing bigger and deeper inside of Harry as black flowing fur took Micah over. He was practically howling. Edward slipped between Micah’s furry muscled legs, and swooped around Harry who whined as his neck and ear was kissed and sucked. Fingers curled around his sopping wet hardness, and with Edward’s bare chest to his back, he began to rock. A bit slower as the leopard King was quite a bit too big to cram inside of him. Gobs of white cum shot out onto Micah’s black furred stomach, and they just kept going. Edward twisted him and pulled him onto his stomach. Harry happily shifted around as Micah took control of his hips and brought his ass to the swollen cock, forcing his way through Harry who screamed out at the same time that his mouth was once again filled with Edward. They had him spit-roasted, back and forth, both men fighting for control of his mouth and hungry body. 

Harry squeezed Edward’s hips as he sucked all the way down, and refused to release as Micah’s thrust caused his ass to make slapping noises when their balls rubbed into each other. Micah’s growls were low with barely restrained hissing as the ardeur fed from them, drawing their lust out and making their orgasms multiply until all three of them couldn’t take it anymore. Control was lost and Harry was saturated in both his men and his own self as his thighs quivered and his knees gave out from under him. 

He swallowed the last of Edward when hands gently tilted his face so that he could see the sociopath. 

“Beautiful,” said Edward with a kiss that was tender. 

A nip on his shoulder had Harry reaching a shaky hand back to caress Micah’s furry face. “Missed you,” Micah growled with a lick. 

His ardeur was oh-so satisfied leaving Harry curling between his men as they took extra care of him. 

“How-? When?” Harry was trying for coherency, but wasn’t sure how well he succeeded. 

“Not two hours ago. Luna got us access to Lorcan’s jet for a quick fly out,” said Micah, running a washrag between Harry’s legs. He was still furry and proud of it. 

“We knew you hadn’t fed properly,” said Edward. “Jean-Claude let us know that he was collecting your ardeur over the last couple of days. You should have brought another with you.” 

“I know. I didn’t think we’d be here this long, but Jason needed to heal after what happened,” said Harry nuzzling into Edward. “Logan is great and all, but - it’s like a brother or being with Draco.” He made a face.

“Yes… about him… where did you find him?” asked Edward. 

“He found us.” 

“I don’t believe that,” said Micah grinning. 

“Why not? He was there when we got off the plane!” 

“You have all the luck, Baby. You have a knack for finding the right people. So, what do you think of him?” Micah asked Edward. 

“We’ll see. So far so good. It’ll take time, but I trust Little Raven’s instincts.” He traced a finger up Harry’s sweaty neck and through his hair. “He seems rather intent on Jason.” 

“Doesn’t he? It’s so cute!” said Harry with a big smile. “They have serious chemistry! So, you think it’s okay to take him home with us?” 

“It’s your call, Baby,” said Micah. “You are the Lupa.”

“I would ask how you found the room, but that’s a dumb question.” 

“Uh huh.” Micah purred up against him. “Edward, we can’t let him go like this again. I didn’t like it.” 

“Me either, Alpha.” 

“Is Peter here?” 

“No, he’s back at home. Seemed he wanted to spend time with a certain kitty cat. I do have to say I like what you did with those guys. You’ll have to tell me everything.”

“I know I shouldn’t have left that symbol on them, but I wanted the preternaturals to know that it was a sign from Jean-Claude. So that they don’t think he’s weak,” said Harry. “Merlin, it was a nightmare here. If we ever run into a Jason look-a-like Edward, kill him on sight.” 

“Done.” 

Micah grinned, showing rather sharp teeth. “Is it really that obvious?” 

Harry looked over at the grinning half-man half-leopard. “I have never seen the man, but if you saw the portrait of Jedediah you wouldn’t ask that. It’s ridiculous. It’s like the strongest genes I’ve ever seen, and here I thought I looked like James Potter… I look nothing like him compared to what Jason seems to look like.” 

“Are you guys done in here? Can I come cuddle you all now?” asked Teddy poking his head around the door. 

Micah draped a blanket over Harry’s body, not that he hadn’t seen everything before, but it was the thought that counted. “Come here, Pup!” 

Teddy beamed and hopped onto the bed. Edward wrapped his arms around Teddy, and was rewarded with a butterfly kiss to the lips before he did the same with Micah before laying his head down on Micah’s furry body. 

“Where’s Jason?” Harry asked the boy.

“He and Logan disappeared into the other room. I’m pretty sure they’re doing what you just finished.” Teddy was way too smart for Harry, it was hard to hide anything from the child.

“I’m not surprised.” Harry muttered as he snuggled down between his men.

“Almost perfect,” said Micah threading his nails gingerly through Teddy’s hair. 

“Perhaps next time we can work it that the Toy is with us,” said Edward. 

Harry was now truly sleepy, his body was warm and the energy flying between the three of them was like a cocoon wrapping its silk threads around him. He was stroked on the head and cheek until his body simply couldn’t fight it anymore. 

“Go to sleep, Little Raven.” 

“Love you.” 

“We love you too,” said Edward, instantly. 

And Harry knew that despite all the potential hesitation over the years that Edward meant it. 

Every. Single. Word. 

It was a Promise. 

-Fin-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Underneath My Skin  
> Rating: Explicit  
> Pairing: Edward/Jean-Claude/Micah/Harry, ??/Harry, Edward/Gregory, ??/Nathaniel, ??/Stephen, ??/Gregory. 
> 
> Summary: Serial killers and romance do not go well together, but try telling a serial killer that. An unusual invitation to Las Vegas sends Harry on an adventure that would be unforgettable. His life at night and the day start clashing, and even those closer to his own kind are mistrustful, and then there’s the Mother of Darkness. 
> 
> Warnings: M/M/M/M Pairing, Explicit Sexual Content, Language, Violence, Gore, Crime Scenes, non-graphic non-con, Weretigers, Weretiger shenanigans, Orgy, A lot of pairings in this one, Made up backstories, Harem, and other things that lead to this particular story. AKA Bernardo nails dating Harry Potter-Black
> 
> Book: Skin Trade, #17 in the AB series  
> Beta and co-Author: KimpatsuNoHoseki <3

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Lovies! 
> 
> This (as you may have guessed) takes place in Blood Noir (book 16), June 2008. It's 5 months after Whiskey in a Jar and 6 months after Master of Puppets. This is 4 years after the series started! 
> 
> Ages:
> 
> Harry - 27  
> Teddy - 10  
> Edward - 38  
> Micah - 28  
> Jason - 24


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